Legacy
by TheGirlWithTheDinosaurTattoo
Summary: Continuing where "Domestic" left off, "Legacy" is the seventh story in my Winchester Ranch series and continues Dean, Grace, Sam and Serra's lives in rural Kansas. They might not be hunting anymore, but trouble seems to always find them, this time with fur and fangs. Rated T for some trying situations along with some sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

**"Legacy" picks up right where "Domestic" ends. A lot of fluff and family life...Winchester style. I hope you enjoy!**

...

Chapter 1

Serra

Being pregnant sucks. Seriously. People are always going on about how magical it is and how beautiful it is to create new life. They're lying. I have been sweaty, swollen, and miserable for about five months consecutively, but then, of course, if no one lied about it, there would never be any more kids born. Ever.

Unless they were stupid, like me. Forgetting my pill all the time would catch up, I knew it. It did. Being in Hell with Grace, literally, mind you, not figuratively, and finding out that you're pregnant? Not something I wanted to ever repeat. I wasn't even sure if I wanted more kids after this one…it was just so hard.

Grace, though…she was like an unstoppable machine. She already had Lib, and there she was, decorating cookies with my beautiful, almost two year old niece, pregnant with two more. I would have killed myself.

Not really, but you get the point.

Gracie and I are the closest set of sisters you'll ever find and after our stint in Hell together, I think we came out even closer because of it. She is a nephilim, which means she's half angel and half human. Liberty hasn't shown that she's any different from the average kid, but at the same time, she hasn't needed to. We didn't know Grace was half and half until about two years ago, but at the same time, she had been a psychic since she was fourteen. Maybe we just had to be patient to find out with Lib.

My husband, Sam, was beside himself with excitement. He waited on me, hand and foot, bringing me whatever I wanted. He did that when I wasn't knocked up, too, so maybe I'm just lucky. My name says that I am, so there's that. Awhile ago, Gracie told me that pregnant sex was some of the best sex of her life. She wasn't lying. Here I am, laying next to my gorgeous husband, out of breath because we just can't get enough of each other. I'm about four weeks away from giving birth, but that hasn't changed a thing. He watches me with a primal yearn…and it turns me on.

"Sere?" Sammy's voice was quiet, wondering if I was already asleep.

"Hmm?" I answered, rolling towards him in the darkness.

He rested his head back on his pillow, happy that I was still conscious. "We need to pick a name."

I curled around the body pillow that I had stolen from Grace and smiled. "Well, I still like Levi," I said, pushing hair out of my face.

"Yeah, I do too. That's great," he said, chuckling to himself, "but what if it's a girl?"

I shook my head, cutting him off. "If it's a girl, you'll be raising her yourself, so you can pick a name on your own."

"What do you have against girls? You are one!" he said, mock-exasperated.

I took a deep breath, flashing to my childhood with Grace. Our parents were idiots and hunters…not the best combination. They left us alone a lot and Grace basically raised me. I was terrified of having to do that with my own daughter. I was a pain in the ass and I knew, if she came out of me, she would be a carbon copy, just as payback for what I put Grace through. Being a nephilim, Grace already knew the sex of the baby that I carried, but out of shear horror, I refused to let her tell me. I knew that I would be able to pull it together if I had to, but having a boy seemed like the only option I could deal with.

"I just know how I was as a kid. I don't want to have to deal with me," I finally answered.

Sammy touched my face gently. His hands were warm and calming. "You might have to, you know. It seems that Winchester men are rare."

"They're having one," I argued. Grace was carrying one of each; a boy and a girl. She was rapidly approaching her due date (and the doctor was excited that she hadn't gone into labor early) but my sister and brother-in-law hadn't come up with names either. "It's still possible."

"I like Charlotte," Sammy said, ignoring me.

I rolled my eyes, even though Sam could barely see me. I hated that I loved the name as well, and refused to even acknowledge that I liked a female name. "Yeah, whatever. Levi it is. Levi what?"

"I don't know. We'll come back to it when you agree on a girl name."

I rolled over, away from him. "Goodnight, lover."

Sammy chuckled as I faced away from him. "Goodnight, mother of my child."

For effect, I sighed heavily and got comfortable, or, rather, as comfortable as I could. Sam leaned over me and kissed me on the cheek and rubbed my huge belly. "Goodnight, Charlotte."

Shaking my head, I pushed him away and closed my eyes, still listening to his laughter as sleep quickly took me.

…

My phone woke me up, vibrating on the table next to me. I glanced at the clock before I reached for my phone. 4:37 am. Momentarily, I wondered if it was the hospital. I still had two weeks before maternity leave kicked in and I was on call for the next forty-eight hours. Picking up my still-vibrating phone, I was fully awake when I slid the keypad to answer it. "Grace, are you okay?"

"It's Dean," came my brother-in-law's voice. "Grace is in labor, we're on our way to the hospital."

I was sitting up in bed, pulling on my fuzzy boots. "You want us to come now?" I turned to push Sammy awake. He rolled towards me, mumbling incoherently.

"Yeah," Dean answered. "Something tells me this is going to move pretty quickly."

I could hear Grace in the background, breathing heavily and moaning slightly. "Okay, we're getting dressed. Be there soon."

Hanging up the phone, I turned on the light next to the bed. Sammy covered his face and grunted slightly. "What?"

"Grace is in labor. Let's get moving."

Sam rolled away from the light, unwilling to move in the October cold. "It's gonna be awhile, I'm sure."

I shook my head. "Nah, it's her second delivery and from the sound of it, she's dilating already."

"You can tell that from a phone call?"

"I can tell that from the sounds my sister was making. Get up, or I'm leaving without you. Then you can deal with Dean when he finds out that you're not at the hospital to support him while his wife is birthing twins."

Sam sat up and begrudgingly pulled his jeans and boots on. I tossed him a shirt and a beanie and we headed downstairs, waking Johnny up. "Hi, dog. You stay." As I reached for my keys, Johnny ran out of the doggie door and ran around to the side gate to watch us load up into my truck. "Be a good boy, Johnny," I said, slamming my door in the brisk morning. "No barking."

Johnny wagged his tail once and began his loop around the yard, looking for rodents and birds. I glanced at the Big House as we drove down the road and the lights were on; Jody was up and ready for news.

…

We pulled into the parking lot of my hospital and I used my staff parking to get as close to the maternity ward as I could so I wouldn't have to waddle quite as far. Sam waited for me and held out his hand. With his beanie pulled down, he looked like he could still be sleeping and I laughed as I took his hand. "What is the matter with you?"

"What?"

I rolled my eyes. "You're normally the perky one. What gives?"

Sam shook his head and shrugged. "I dunno. The idea of Grace being in labor means that you're not far behind."

"And?"

"And I'm freaking out a bit, okay?"

I glanced up at Sam and smiled to myself. At least it wasn't just me. I tugged on his hand a bit and stopped in the middle of the parking lot, standing in front of him. He refused to meet my eye, but I started talking anyway. "Look," I said, taking his other hand, "I'm not worried about after the baby is born. That is what I do. We're gonna be great parents…and I can't wait to see you holding something that's the size of a football." Sam chuckled at that, so I smiled and continued, "I'm freaking out about actually passing something the size of a football through a hole this big." I held up my fingers to make a tiny circle to illustrate my point. "Grace deals with pain well and knowing how she was when she was in labor with Lib…well. It wasn't pretty."

Sam finally met my eye and held my gaze. "You're the strongest woman I know," he said, confused. "How can the pain be scaring you? You were tortured in Hell, for Christ sakes."

I shook my head, remembering. "Yeah, I know, but torture is different. Your adrenaline kicks in and all you want to do is fight back."

"Serra, I'm pretty sure that your adrenaline will kick in during childbirth, too."

"I'm not going to be able to kick the baby's ass."

Laughing, Sam leaned in to me. "You'll do great," he said, kissing the top of my head. "I'm worried about the after part. The bringing the baby home part."

I shrugged. "Well, that's why we make a good team," I said, reaching up to kiss him. "Come on, let's go watch Dean freak out some more about having twins."

Sam nodded and followed as I walked across the rest of the parking lot. He held the door open for me and I headed towards the check-in desk. "Hi!" The receptionist greeted me, "Did you call ahead of time or are you pre-checked in?"

I shook my head, already understanding that she was reading me as the one in labor. "Oh, no. My sister just came in…Grace Winchester? She's in active labor and she's delivering twins. Just wanted to see what room she's in."

"Oh, how sweet that you're pregnant together!"

I glanced up at her, "It really hasn't been."

From behind me, I knew Sam shook his head, agreeing with me. The receptionist looked confused, but she just leaned back towards the computer that sat on her desk. "Well, she's upstairs in one of the active labor rooms. I'm not supposed to give out personal information."

I nodded, happy that she was following protocol. Sam already had his phone out, texting Dean and Grace in a group message. "Thanks," I said over my shoulder, heading to the set of elevators at the end of the hall.

Sam's phone buzzed almost immediately. "They're in 219," he said in my wake. I punched the button for level 2 and smiled to myself. I would get to meet the new babies soon. And I wouldn't have to give birth to them.

Dean was standing in the hall when we got out of the elevator, a cup of coffee in his hands and a smile on his face. "You don't look terrified!" I greeted him as we hugged. "Why?"

Shaking his head and smiling, he said, "I drank about a fifth of whiskey when we got here," he said, still grinning. "I'm feeling pretty good."

"Does Grace know you did that?"

"She packed it for me," he answered. "Best wife ever, right?"

Sammy and Dean hugged and I walked into the labor room. In the corner, Grace's phone was playing "Thunderstruck" quietly and she was breathing through another contraction. "Hi, Gracie!" I whispered, unwilling to disturb her focus. "How are you doing?"

She gritted her teeth and her eyes crinkled in a smile as the contraction ended and reached out to hug me. "I'm in labor."

"How has it been so far?"

"I haven't wanted to kill myself yet, but it's still early. The anesthesiologist is coming soon for my epidural," she grinned. "I'm pretty excited about that."

"I'll bet," I said, rubbing Grace's humongous belly. "This is comical."

She glanced down at her stomach and rubbed it, too. "I know, right? Like a cartoon. Look at one of my new stretch marks."

Lifting her hospital gown to show me, I gasped mockingly. "You're a freak!" I said, massaging her stomach as I could feel another contraction grip her. She blew out the puff of air she was holding as the machine told me how the contraction was progressing. The tiny green line drew a mountain shape across the screen and slowly it peaked and came down again, showing the end of her contraction. "It's over, Gracie," I said quietly, rubbing her back. "They're getting strong already. How long have you been in labor?"

She shook her head; her face was red with excursion. "My water broke about three hours ago, but hard labor didn't start until about an hour ago. Dean made me come after the first hard contraction."

"What? He didn't want a home birth?" I said, giggling. Just then, the boys came in, Dean's face was still as happy as I had seen him. I turned back to my sister and smiled, "How much whiskey did you give him?"

Grace smiled as she wrapped her hair into a bun at the top of her head, "Enough," she said, laughing. To Dean, she asked, "How you feeling, honey?"

"I feel awesome."

"I'll bet."

The door opened then, a nurse and a white-coated doctor came walking in pushing an epidural cart. "Hello, everyone!" the female doctor greeted the room, "I am Dr. Lindsey and I'll be loading you up today." She rolled the cart to a stop and glanced at Grace. "How are we doing so far?"

Grace smiled and shrugged. "Fine, I guess. It hurts."

"It's supposed to, honey," Dr. Lindsey said smiling. She pulled the papers that were hanging from the contraction charting machine and smiled. "You're coming along nicely. This is a good time for the epidural if that's still what you want."

Nodding vigorously, Grace took a breath. "Yeah, I don't need none of this," she said.

"Okay, then, I'm gonna have you empty out the room then. Grace needs to focus on staying absolutely still."

I went over to my sister and kissed her head and said "I'll be back in a bit." She smiled and squeezed my hand, nodding. Sammy smiled at her over my head and turned and walked out of the room.

…

Setting his coffee on the rolling table behind him, Dean turned back to Grace and grinned. "You ready?"

Nodding she smiled weakly. "Oh, yeah. A gigantic needle into my spine sounds awesome." He came forward to hold her hands and she took a deep breath.

Watching the machine with the green line, the doctor smiled. "Okay, sweetie, here comes another contraction. As soon as it's over, we're going to curl you and plant your epidural tube."

Dean watched the green line begin to climb. "Here we go, Gracie. You got this. Last one and then sweet, sweet release." Grace gripped his hands tightly, taking a deep breath and breathing out slowly as the intensity of the contraction climbed. "Keep breathing, honey, don't forget to breathe," Dean said quietly, supporting Grace's weight as she pushed forward, curling around her belly. She breathed through her gritted teeth and tried to take a deep breath through her nose. "Almost peaked, Grace," Dean's deep voice soothed, "about ten more seconds."

Taking another breath through her nose and pushing it out slowly through her teeth, Grace slowly relaxed as the contraction ended. "Alright," Dr. Lindsey said, "let's get this done before another contraction starts. Turn and hang your other leg off the side of the bed and curl around your belly as tightly as you can." Following directions, Grace turned and the doctor pulled her hospital gown apart in the back, revealing her spine. "Dean, you're going to need to keep her as still as you can. She cannot move."

Nodding, Dean took Grace's arms again, resting them on his shoulders. They leaned their heads against each other and Grace took a deep breath. "Ready," she said.

The nurse wiped a small area of her back with alcohol and Grace continued breathing deeply. "Here comes the pinch," she said, backing away. Grace held steady. "Okay, as slowly as you can, blow out your air, but don't move."

…

I paced around the waiting room, knowing that the epidural could sometimes be worse than a contraction. Sammy watched me waddle and then took a breath and asked, "Isn't this the easy part?"

Shaking my head, I said, "No, epidurals can go wrong in a hurry. It doesn't happen very often, but there's always a risk when you're sticking a needle the size of a knitting needle into a woman's back while she's in labor."

Making a face, Sam shook his head. "Are you going to get one?"

I stopped my pacing and raised my eyebrows at him, "Are you stupid? Of course I am."

Sam chuckled and leaned against the wall, trying to hide a yawn. "You're not worried about the needle?"

"Nah, I know Lindsey," I said, starting my route around the room again. "She's got a perfect record. Besides, the three minutes it takes to set the tube is way easier than dealing with twenty hours of labor."

Sammy looked like he was going to pass out. "Twenty?"

"Did you read any of the labor books I gave you?"

"Yeah, but I guess I didn't retain any of it."

I walked back over to my husband and laughed, sitting down next to him. "So let me get this straight: you can learn and remember any information about monsters or demons or fangs, but you can't remember the basics of having a baby?"

Making a face, Sam looked at me and smiled. "I'm cute, though."

"You're lucky." I reached over and kissed him again, resting my hand on his thigh.

A few minutes later, Dean came walking back out into the waiting room with a wide-eyed look on his face. I glanced up at him, worry hitting me like a Mack truck. "What?" I said, standing up. "What happened?"

Dean glanced at me, towards Sam and back at me. "The epidural didn't take."

"What do you mean, the epidural didn't 'take'?"

Closing his eyes, Dean repeated himself. "It didn't take. She can still feel everything." Dr. Lindsey came out of Grace's room and joined us in the waiting room. She nodded as he finished his sentence and all of our eyes stared at her.

"What happened, Linds?" I asked, stepping forward. "Why didn't it take?"

She shook her head, lifting her eyebrows. "It happens," she said, putting her hands in her pocket. "It doesn't happen very often, but I have heard of rare occasions when the medication just burns off or we miss the mark." Lindsey shrugged at me, "I'm sorry, Serra, but I hit the mark. That nerve cluster took the meds like it should have. I can't really explain it."

"It's okay, Lindsey," I said, patting her on the shoulder. "Is Grace okay? How did she take it?"

It was Dean's turn to shrug. "She ain't happy, that's for sure."

Dr. Lindsey apologized once more and patted Dean on the shoulder. "She'll be fine, Dad. She's a strong woman. She'll handle it."

Dean nodded as she walked away. I headed towards my sister's room with Dean closely following behind. "Oh, Gracie," I said, "this sucks."

"Sucks?" she gasped, her face red. "I had a plan! I've been tortured enough! I don't want to be in pain anymore. I don't want to feel the miracle of childbirth!"

Reaching down into her overnight bag, Dean brought out the whiskey bottle that had been covered by extra shirts and pants. "Drink enough right now and you won't," he said, attempting a smile.

I ignored my brother-in-law and shook my head. "Why didn't it work?"

"Because I'm a fucking freak!" Grace squealed; tensing as another contraction ripped through her. "Oh my God! This isn't okay!" she said through gritted teeth.

Dean rubbed her back and glanced at me, "She's probably burning it off before it has a chance to do anything to numb her," he said. "It's why she can't stay drunk." I had no idea what to say to comfort my sister. The idea that she wouldn't be able to get an epidural hadn't even crossed my mind. I stepped away from the bed as another contraction hit her. As I stood there and watched, I was reminded why Dean and Grace made the perfect pair. Their interaction was completely fluid as Dean filled the space that I vacated. He put his hands on her face as she leaned forward, her hands holding onto his arms, bracing for the pain. I could hear him mumble to her ear as she struggled, "Grace, let go. You can do this without the meds."

Slowly, I disappeared out of the room and let Dean take over. I went back to the waiting room and shrugged at Sam as I sat next to him. "She's gonna have to do this naturally. Dean thinks that she burns the medication off before it has a chance to take hold."

"Because of the half and half thing?"

I nodded, agreeing. "Because of the half and half thing."

We settled in, getting comfortable. Sam pulled out his phone and put a hand on my belly as I leaned back in my chair. Closing my eyes, I hoped that Grace dug deep and pulled out the strength that she had in The Pit. She was going to need it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dean

This was the most God-awful thing I have ever watched in my life. Seeing Grace in the pain that she was in killed me. There was, of course, absolutely nothing that I could do to help her except stand next to her, letting her lean on me while contractions ripped through her. The whiskey was wearing off and all I was left with was the cold reality that we would have two babies when this was all over.

The machine next to Grace's bed hinted that another contraction was coming; the green line climbing up the screen once again. She was standing, leaning on the bed, face down. I debated not even telling her, but as soon as the thought entered my brain, she turned. "Always tell me," she said, gritting her teeth. "At least it gives me a chance to prepare."

I nodded, "Sorry, honey." Turning her body, she leaned her arms across my shoulders and hung, trying to breathe through the contraction as best she could. I held her around her back while she breathed and puffed, trying to keep control as much as she could. Suddenly, she extended her arm and forced mine down to my side. "What are you doing?" Without speaking, she slammed her hand down on The Mark of Cain and breathed out the lungful of air she held. "Does it help?"

I watched the monitor as the green line peaked and began its fall down the screen. Slowly, she looked up at me and smiled lightly. "Not a lot, but it's noticeable." I wiped the hair out of her face and smiled.

"Good, at least I can do _something_."

Turning towards the bed, she gingerly sat down, breathing out slowly as she did. "Don't you think you've done enough?" she said, smiling lightly.

I stood, facing her, my hands touching her hair and face, unwilling to stop. "Probably." Leaning her head into my stomach, she rested as we waited for the next contraction, still at least four minutes away. "We need to figure out names."

"Yeah, we're cutting it a little close this time, huh?"

I chuckled. "I do like Baby Girl Winchester, you know."

"Aw, Baby Girl," Grace said, smiling. "And Baby Boy."

I smiled to myself, nodding. "I keep forgetting about that second one." I chuckled again to myself. "A boy. What the hell am I going to do with a boy?"

"I would have thought that you would have been more concerned with a second girl." Grace said, still trying to get comfortable. "You're going to be a great boy-dad. Teach him to work on the cars."

That was the least of my worries. My biggest fear was my kids turning to hunting as a life choice…growing up like we did, never really having a home. Then I worried about becoming my father constantly; thinking that I would end up a dictator, like he was, rather than a supporter like I knew Grace would be. I knew she was reading my mind, because she sat up, lifting her head away from my stomach to look at me.

"You are not your father, Dean."

"Not yet," I said, lifting my eyebrows. "I haven't had a boy to make the transformation yet."

She was already shaking her head, disagreeing with my sentiment. "You're just not your father. You love Liberty more than anything and I know these two are going to get the same love and devotion that you have for her. You're different, Dean. You're so much better."

The machine beeped behind me and Grace rolled her eyes, preparing for the next contraction. As it began to build, she reached for my arm again, The Mark glowing slightly under her touch. "Don't forget to breathe, Gracie," I said, watching the screen. The green line hadn't begun to make its fall down the screen and I rubbed Grace's back while I watched it continue to climb. This was the worst one yet.

Grace grunted slightly, pulling herself off the bed and leaning into me. "Breathe, honey," I repeated, still watching the green line continue to climb. "Grace, breathe." She let out the gasp of air she had taken, moments before and shifting her position, she let out a gasp of pain, breaking her calm.

Looking up at me, Grace had tears in her eyes and was shaking her head. "I can't do this naturally," she said on the verge of losing it completely. "I can't handle any more pain."

"Grace," I began, taking my wife by her shoulders, "you can handle the pain. You've taken on way more than this and you know it. This is a walk in the park." She was still shaking her head, still on the edge. "Grace, look at me." She flicked her blue eyes towards mine and furrowed her eyebrows, waiting. "Dig deep, baby. This is just a means to an end. When this is over, you get to watch me struggle with three kids."

She smiled lightly, then, and I knew I had her. "We're gonna need a new car," she whispered, curling into the next contraction. I nodded to myself more than anyone. Three infant seats weren't gonna fit in the fucking Chevelle.

...

For the next six hours or so, I was in and out of the room, updating Serra and Sam on what was happening during labor. Grace was rising to the occasion, just as I knew she would, using The Mark as a crutch when she needed to. As we got closer to delivery, Serra came into the room and said, "We're getting close. You need to grab a soda or something. The hard part is coming."

I made a face at my sister-in-law and shook my head. "I'm fine. If she can't take a break, I'm not taking a break."

Smiling slightly, Serra pointed to the door. "Okay, then just go talk to Sammy for a minute or something. I wanna talk to my sister."

Grace looked up at Serra, "I don't know how much actual conversation—" she gasped, pulling herself forward again, in the grips of another contraction.

"Yeah, I know, but just go with it." Serra glanced at me again and motioned with her head. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room, headed for Sammy. Turning back towards Grace, Serra used the washcloth that was next to the bed to wipe the sweat from Grace's forehead. "Doctor says nine centimeters. Close, huh?" Grace nodded, unable to really form words. "You're doing really well, Gracie. Focus on telling me what names you guys picked."

Breathing out slowly and finally able to lean back for a second, Grace smiled. "We haven't really finalized them yet," she said.

"Yeah, neither have we." Serra smiled. "We like Levi for a boy's name."

Grace nodded as she squeezed her eyes shut. "That's a good one," she grunted.

"Will we need a girl's name?"

Through the contraction, Grace laughed. "Is this you asking the sex of the baby?"

Serra petted Grace's hair absentmindedly, gripping her hand with the other. "Maybe."

"Thought you didn't want to know," Grace whispered, still struggling to get through the contraction. She leaned forward and brought her legs down from the bed, trying to find a comfortable spot.

"Maybe I do. What are you doing?"

Grace glanced up at her sister, red in the face and sweating. "Trying to find a place that I can sit or stand that doesn't feel like I'm being torn in half."

"Is it that bad?"

Grace didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Tell me."

"Boy."

Serra stared at her sister as a grin slowly spread across her face. "Think of your happy place," she said, patting Grace lightly on the back. "Think happy thoughts."

"Oh, shut up. You're no help. Go get Dean."

Serra bounded out of the room and moments later, a nurse came in, followed closely by Dean. "Hey, honey," the nurse said, "looks like you're close! Let's get a doctor in here to check if you're ready to push."

I grinned at my wife, hands out. "Hey! You get to push small children out of a hole this big now!" Raising my eyebrows, I knew I'd get a look from Grace, but she was concentrating so hard that she didn't even look up. I did everything I could not to let myself get caught up in Grace's emotions…she was in a lot of pain, and that killed me, but knowing that it would be over soon was semi-comforting.

The doctor came in, suited for business and sat at the end of the bed. "Okay, Grace! Let's check." She leaned forward and smiled. "Let's have some babies."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Serra

I'm having a boy. I was over the moon at the news and no longer cared about the birth part.

That's a lie. I'm still terrified, but at least I don't have to go through it knowing that there's a girl waiting for me to take her home. That would be scarier.

I stared at Sam, half asleep in the waiting room chair, and sat next to him. He lifted his head and glanced at me, smiling at the grin on my face. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing," I said, shaking my head. "Grace is in delivery."

He leaned his head on my shoulder, turning his body so his legs were over the side of the arms on the chair. "Dean's handling it too well. Is he still drunk?"

I tilted my head and smiled slightly. "I think he's just finally ready. And think about last time Grace was in delivery…everything was panicked and terrifying. Lib couldn't breathe, Grace had to go to emergency OR…there was a lot happening. This one is pretty straight forward."

"You still scared?"

I nodded, looking down at my belly. "Oh, shit yes. But a little less so now."

Sam sat up and turned to look at me. "Why?"

Unable to help myself, I grinned at him. "Grace told me."

"Grace told you what?"

Rubbing my belly, I took a deep breath. "Levi, not Charlotte."

"You cheated!" Sam said in mock disgust. He couldn't help himself, though. His face lit up and he put his forehead to mine. "We're having a boy?"

I nodded. "We're having a boy."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dean

I remember being a lot more freaked out last time compared to the calm that was coming over me this time. Of course, Lib's birth was an emergency. They didn't even let me be in the OR with Grace. It was really rough.

This time, though…Grace was delivering our twins on schedule and on her own. I gripped her hand and pulled her forward and was in awe of my wife as she delivered our second child.

It felt like time was slowing down, watching the doctors lift the baby to show us. Grace gasped for breath and leaned back into the pillows and continued to grip my hand, breaking bones, I'm sure, but I didn't care. There she was: my second daughter.

Glancing at Grace, we smiled at each other as the doctors cut her umbilical cord and whisked her away to clean her up. Before I knew it, she was already pulling me forward again, dragging my hand with her as a contraction forced her into pushing. "One more time, gorgeous," I whispered as I leaned forward with her. "One more."

Only having eyes for Grace, I stared at her, counting to ten as she pushed. She took another breath and we started the process again, leaning forward and counting. I reassured her and gripped her hand with both of mine. "Push, Gracie." She nodded and was leaning forward and shattering the calm of the delivery room, a piercing wail joined us in the room. Throwing herself back onto the pillows again, Grace was gasping for air as she stared at the second newest member of the Winchester family: our son.

The nurse that held our daughter walked towards Grace and laid her on her chest as our son was cleaned up and brought to her as well. My wife struggled to catch her breath as I watched, completely enamored with my children. There were two, and they were perfect.

Over an hour had passed before I strode out into the waiting room and grinned at Sammy and Serra. "I have three kids," I said, happy tears brimming in my eyes.

Serra was on her feet, hugging me, and Sam clapped me on the back. Letting go, Serra pushed her way past me and headed into Grace's room to see her and the babies.

We followed her into the room and talked in hushed tones as we introduced Sam and Serra to their new niece and nephew. Serra glanced back at me and grinned, pushing me with her hand. "Look at them!" she whispered, grinning. "Did you guys decide on names?"

Grace held both of the babies on her bare chest and smiled, lifting her eyebrows at me. "Would you like to do the honors?"

I grinned and walked to the other side of the bed. I lifted the blanket back a bit to show the purple knit cap on my middle daughter's head. "This is Glory Evangeline," I said, glancing up at Serra and smiling. My sister-in-law and my middle child now shared a middle name and I could tell by Serra's reaction that it was a good choice. I glanced down at my son as my breath caught in my chest and moved to where he was nestled against Grace's chest. "And this is Everett Dean," I sighed, pride rolling off of me, knowing that Grace had insisted on my name as his middle.

Serra had her hands over her mouth with tears in her eyes, approaching Grace and the twins slowly. "They're perfect, Gracie. Look at them!"

Grace was exhausted, but smiled anyway. "Get the epidural, Serra."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sam

Standing in Grace's hospital room and staring at the new life that lay on her chest was something that I'll never forget. I don't know if it was because Serra was due in four weeks or if it was because I had a new lease on life, considering that I had been dead not long ago, but the idea that we had lived long enough to form families was almost too much for me. Dean looked up at me, grinning stupidly at me, and I smiled back. He was in heaven. He complained about it a lot, but having three kids was right up my brother's alley. He was, if possible, more domestic than I was. Dean loved the little things…mowing the front lawn, taking out the trash, helping Grace cook dinner…he thrived in situations like that. Now, having three children, he was beside himself with happiness.

I was having a hard time knowing that I would have one.

I wasn't nervous, so to speak, but I was worried that because Dean didn't become our dad, that maybe I would. It wasn't until Dean came to get me from Stanford that I finally realized that dad actually cared about us. The constant military-based, unaffectionate way that Dad brought us up was something that Dean had been terrified that he would reproduce, but here we were, witnesses to Dean's soft, loving-family demeanor. He was a doting father, a caring and devoted husband, and I hoped that I had it in me to continue the path my brother was on.

Glancing over at Serra as she held Everett and nuzzled his face, I smiled as Grace handed me Glory. I took a deep, ragged breath and stared down at her. She looked just like Liberty did when she was born; a head of fuzzy blonde hair and eyes squeezed shut. She had her fist shoved up against her cheek and I tried to bring it down and tuck it into her blanket, but she pulled it back out almost immediately, shoving her tiny fist back into her cheek. I smiled and shook my head. Moving closer to Serra, I watched her with Everett, leaning him on top of her belly. He had darker hair and had more of Dean's coloring. He was on the verge of consciousness, one of his eyes trying to open to stare up at Serra.

"Congratulations, you two," I said, smiling up at Dean. "They're perfect."

"They are, aren't they," Dean said quietly. He shook his head in disbelief.

Grace had her head back on the pillows, watching us with the twins from under her heavy lids. She looked completely wiped out. "Gracie, why don't we go so you can get some rest," I said, handing Glory over to Dean. He took her and stared down at her face, probably not even hearing that I spoke.

"No, it's okay, you can stay," Grace replied, her eyes still closed. "I'm concentrating on repair…I don't know how full humans deal with this after pain." She made a face and opened her eyes again, realizing that Serra was standing next to her. "Sorry, Sere."

"You heal me," Serra demanded, staring at her sister with her eyebrows raised.

Closing her eyes again and nodding slowly, Grace leaned back into the pillows once more.

We stood in silence for awhile, each involved with the twin closest to us and barely noticed the doctor when she walked in to check on Grace. "Hello, everyone!" she greeted us. The only one that wasn't surprised by her presence was Grace, who smiled in response. "How are you feeling, Mom?"

"Pretty good," she replied, pushing herself into a sitting position. "Considering."

The doctor smiled and glanced at Serra and me. "We're gonna do some checks," the doctor said, smiling. "Serra, Lindsey wanted to talk to you, too."

Serra nodded, assuming it was something work-related. I knew that she and Dr. Lindsey were close, having worked together in the NICU many times. "I'll go find her. I haven't had my phone on me." She turned back to give Everett back to Grace and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "I'll be back later, sis." I followed Serra out of the room and down the hallway. We hadn't made it to the NICU before Dr. Lindsey stopped us in the hallway.

"Hey, Serra! Congrats again on being an auntie of twins!" she greeted, hugging Serra.

Laughing, Serendipity nodded. "Better auntie than mom," she replied. I saw Lindsey glance at me and I could sense that she wanted to talk to my wife alone.

"I'm gonna go find some coffee," I said, "you want something?"

Serra nodded. "Find me a muffin. Or a cookie." She paused, making a face. "Both. Find me both."

I smiled and continued towards the cafeteria and left the women speaking quietly in the hall.

"Serra," Lindsey began quietly, "I'm so sorry I couldn't get the epi to take on your sister."

Shaking her head, Serra closed her eyes, "Don't worry about it, Linds. It all worked out. She's tough."

Lindsey paused, wringing her hands together. "It's never happened to me before, Serra. Not since med school. I've _always_ been able to plant the tube."

Serendipity stared at Lindsey and narrowed her eyes. "You couldn't even plant the tube? Why?"

"I don't know!" Lindsey said, putting her hands in the pockets on her white coat. "It was like something I've never seen before. She was impenetrable." Searching for words, Lindsey looked around, "Like there was some sort of force field in her back. It's like her dermis would spit the tube back at me."

Taking a deep breath, Serra shook her head and smiled ironically. "Trust me, Lindsey. It's not you. It's Grace."

"What does that even mean?"

"She's different," Serra started, unwilling to go into details. "She doesn't exactly follow the rules of modern medicine."

"I don't understand."

Serra sighed. "It's okay, Lindsey. Just…forget about it." She smiled, "You'll be able to plant the tube on me, if it makes you feel better."

Dr. Lindsey wasn't falling for it. She stood in front of Serra, her jaw set, still obviously upset with the fact that her medical training had failed her. There was a few seconds of silence before another joined the conversation. "Hey, Alana. What's the matter?" Dr. Lindsey greeted the OB that had come into Grace's room to check her.

Alana glanced up at Serra, obviously shaken about something. "Nothing, don't worry."

"Is my sister okay?" Dr. Lindsey and Dr. Alana seemed to exchange a knowing glance with each other. Serra was no idiot and caught on quickly. "What, Alana? What's wrong with Grace?"

She shook her head slowly, pursing her lips. Finally, Alana lifted her eyebrows and said, "Nothing, Serra. There's absolutely nothing wrong with her. It doesn't even look like she gave birth to twins an hour ago. It looks like she's never given birth."

"What?" Dr. Lindsey gasped, leaning forward. "How can that be?"

Serra was closing her eyes and making a face, trying to figure out a way to get out of the conversation that she was a part of. Slowly, she took a step back, unwilling to even make eye contact with either of her friends. Catching on to her movements, Lindsey reached out her hand, stopping her in her tracks. "Oh, no, Serendipity. What do you know? First the epi tube and now completely healed after an hour?" Dr. Lindsey set her jaw. "What gives?"

"You guys, she's just a fast healer." Alana and Lindsey stared at her, waiting. "Look. I'm probably gonna get ripped a new one, and you can't go publishing papers on her and performing experiments on her…but she's…she's different."

"Obviously," Alana said, moving closer to Serra. "Details, Serra. Now."

Grabbing them both by the upper arm, Serendipity steered the two doctors into the nursery of the NICU, sliding Lindsey's card to enter. As soon as the glass security door sealed behind them, Serra used the sounds of the sleeping babies to hold their secrets. "Fine, but no one knows. Grace would kill me if she knew I was telling you without warning her first, so she can't be your little lab rat, okay? Tomorrow, you're going to write her out, just like the schedule says. She gets to go home with Everett and Glory on schedule, you get it?" Nodding silently, Alana and Lindsey waited with baited breath. "She's only half human."

"Shut up, Serra," Alana said, taking a step back, thinking that Serra was mocking them. "Tell me the truth."

"I am, Alana. She's something called a nephilim; half human, half angel." The looks on the doctors' faces was that of complete disbelief. "Our mother couldn't get pregnant on her own with Grace. She allowed an angel to use her as a vessel, got her knocked up and bam. There she was."

"I don't have time for this bullshit," Lindsey said. "If you don't want to tell us what is really going on, just say so, Sere. I have rounds to make." She stepped towards the door, but hesitating, she held her hand over the exit button.

"I'm being completely serious, you guys. When you told me that the epidural didn't take, I knew that this time it would be different. She's learned how to use her abilities since Liberty. That's why her back spit out the epi tube." Serra turned towards Alana, "It's why she's already healed." Taking a shaky breath, Serra wiped her face. "You know how hard it is not to be able to talk about this with the medical community? I'm surrounded by you guys every day and I can't talk about the fact that my sister is the one that healed Baby Girl Greer and she got to see her first Christmas because of her. I can't talk about the fact that we kidnapped earlier this year and tortured for over five weeks and my sister kept me alive because she kept regenerating me. My heart stopped. I should be dead."

Alana and Lindsey stayed frozen in their spots. Finally, Lindsey spoke, "That's where you were?"

Serra huffed out the breath she was holding and stepped towards her. "Yes. There's so much you guys don't know or understand that exists in our world. It's so lonely, knowing about it and not being able to talk about it."

"Like what?" Alana asked, stepping closer to Serra, starting to believe her.

"Come with me to see Grace. We'll explain it together."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dean

The look on the doctor's face concerned me as she left after examining Grace. She had told us that everything was "better than fine" as she hurried out the door, but I was still paranoid. Something was up. I exchanged glances with Grace a few minutes later and she made a face and nodded. The secret was out.

"What's next, Gracie?" I asked, moving closer to her as the door shut.

Taking a deep breath, she sighed. "That one is Dr. Alana. She's another one of Serra's doctor friends. She's freaking out because I'm already healed." Grace listened, extending her abilities, I was sure. "She's off to go find Serra to ask if I'm some sort of freak."

"Awesome," I said, glancing down at Glory. She was still asleep in my arms and my heart skipped a beat every time I looked at her. "Should we be packing?"

"What, for a quick getaway?" Grace laughed. "We couldn't get out of this hospital with two newborns if we tried. The alarms will go off if we try to cut off the bands."

"Even if they're ours?"

Grace nodded, swinging her feet forward and dropping them off the bed. She stood and laid Everett in the bassinet as she pulled off her hospital gown and started getting dressed. "Serra is taking the initiative and explaining what I am." She paused as she pulled on my old ACDC shirt. "They're not taking it well."

"Awesome," I repeated, bouncing Glory as she began to stir.

Moments passed and Grace took the time to gather her things and pack them in her overnight bag. As I watched her, half of my brain marveled at the fact that she looked better now, after giving birth to three children in less than two years, than she did when I met her. She smiled at me as she heard the thoughts come through my mind and winked. "Enough of that," she said, brushing past me and Glory. "Thoughts like that are what keep getting us into trouble." She hesitated, looking up at me, her blue eyes finding mine. "Speaking of which," she started. "What are we going to do? We've gotta find a better fix."

I shook my head. "I don't know. The Mark's not gonna let anything happen to me…" I said, grimacing at the idea of scissors coming anywhere near that area. "And do you really think you're not going to heal if they tie you up?"

Grace was shaking her head. "Yeah, I know," she said, "we've gotta figure something out, though. I refuse to be pregnant all my life. We're gonna end up with like twenty six kids."

I laughed, but secretly I was terrified. I knew Grace could read my moods as well, so I did everything I could to focus on Glory's face and hide what I was really feeling. The idea of any more kids was taxing, but together, we were a perfect storm of reproduction. It had to be stopped, but I really loved bedding my wife.

Grace finished packing and turned towards the door expectantly. I knew someone would be coming through it; Grace never made a mistake. The doors swung wide as I laid Glory next to Everett in the crib and I turned to see who our visitors would be. Serra walked in, making a face at Grace, whom I'm sure she was talking with telepathically as the two doctors followed behind. The anesthesiologist that had failed in giving Grace her epidural during delivery was behind Serra, watching nervously, and the OB delivery doctor stood in front, her hands in her pockets, waiting for something to happen.

"Hey, ladies," I started, getting the feel of the room. "What's going on?"

The anesthesiologist spoke first, "Is it true?"

Grace's eyes flicked to mine and at that moment I wished I could hear my wife telepathically. Her body language told me that we were about to have a long, difficult discussion, so I took the chair behind me, putting my boots up on the bed. She sat on the bed next to my legs and made a face. "Pull up a chair, ladies. What would you like to know?"

…

"You're telling me that an angel possessed your mother to have you?" the OB doctor, Alana, repeated yet again, "An angel?"

Grace sighed quietly. We had been at this almost twenty minutes, trying to explain Grace's abilities to the women that sat near Serra. "Yes."

 _This is utter bullshit._

"I know it sounds like bullshit, but it's true. Every word," Grace said to the silence in the room and I knew she had read someone's mind. I looked at the newcomers, watching their reactions, and judging by their faces, I knew that Alana had thought 'bullshit' first.

 _You can read my thoughts?_ Alana thought, leaning forward, her breath leaving her body in a huff of air.

Grace nodded again, "Yeah. It comes with the package."

Dr. Lindsey turned to watch Alana as she and Grace interacted. _How are you reading thoughts? Can you hear everyone?_

"I'm sure there's a name for it," Grace explained, obviously hearing another series of questions, "but we call it 'Angel Radio.' I can hear humans when I listen and they're in range and I can hear every angel. It's very loud, but I've learned to turn it down."

Serra was on the edge of her seat, smiling as she watched her sister explain the wonder that she was. I was fascinated as well; in awe of my wife and what she could do.

Lindsey finally spoke, "Why do you specify 'humans?'"

Grace glanced at me, her eyebrows up, asking permission for something, but I was really unsure of what. I pulled my boots off the bed and leaned towards her, my hand extended so she could speak her mind without scaring anyone. She held it momentarily and I could hear her ask, _Hunting?_

 _You want to tell them about everything?_

Shrugging, Grace continued, _While we're at it, why not? I mean, it would probably make it easier for them to understand if I wasn't the only freak they knew about._

 _I'm game,_ I thought, pulling my hand away and leaning back again, glancing over at the babies next to me.

"We—my family, I mean, are monster hunters. Or at least we used to be," Grace began. "There are a lot of things in the world that go bump in the night. We did our best to stop them."

"What kinds of monsters?"

Serra took over then; Grace got up and began walking to the crib where Everett and Glory lay, obviously knowing that one of them would begin to cry momentarily. "Every kind that you've ever heard about," Serra explained as Everett began to wail, "vampires, werewolves, demons, ghosts…they're all real. People like us keep them in check."

The doctors sat, mouths open, staring at us. It was my turn to step in. "Look," I started, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, "this is a lot to take, I get it. It took us awhile to process too, but we're good people. And if Serra decided it was time to let you in on our little family secrets, then I'm fine with it. She trusts you, so I will too." I took a breath, watching my wife settle my son down, getting ready to nurse him, "But bottom line? Grace is the real deal. She can do it all."

"I don't know how to believe a story like this," Alana said, rubbing her face with her hands.

We all turned as Sam walked through the doors, holding coffee in one hand and a bag of baked goods in the other. He saw the visitors and glanced at me, questioning. I smiled sarcastically and gestured to the room, "We're telling secrets, Sammy. Join us."

"Secrets?" he asked, handing the bag of treats to Serra. She took the bag and opened it, taking a big whiff. He sat on the arm of her chair as she pulled out the chocolate muffin and started eating.

Alana stood and began pacing around the room, muttering to herself. "What am I supposed to do with this information? How am I supposed to believe all this, Serra?"

Sam motioned to her limp as she walked past. "Grace?" She looked up from nursing Everett. "Maybe it would help if you performed a little miracle?"

"Miracle?" Lindsey asked, "What are you talking about?"

Grace closed her eyes and smiled. "You hurt your knee recently, playing tennis with your boyfriend."

Alana's head whipped towards her faster than I was ready for. "How did you know that?"

"I told you," Serra said, through her mouthful of chocolate muffin. "She can read your mind."

Staring at Alana, Grace raised her eyebrows, tilting her head. "Will you let me heal you?"

Lindsey and Alana stared at each other momentarily and Lindsey eventually shrugged. "Her back spit out the epi tube, girl. I wanna see her heal you."

Sitting on the edge of the hospital bed next to Grace, she raised the pant leg of her scrubs to reveal the bruised and swollen injured knee. "Show me," she said, looking to Grace. With two fingers, Grace leaned forward, still nursing Everett, to touch Alana's forehead. There was a deafening silence as slowly, the bruising faded and the swelling receded. I grinned to myself. The look on Lindsey and Alana's face was priceless. We had them.

"Holy mother fucker," Alana said, staring at Grace.

Serra grinned. "Pretty much," she said.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Serra

I am relieved. Being able to talk about Grace with someone besides the people that share my last name is like having a load lifted off of my shoulders. I have been friends with Alana and Lindsey since med school and I can tell you from experience, they are to be trusted. I figured it was about time to have someone else in our corner in case we ever needed it.

After about an hour of debriefing, Linds and Alana had finally relaxed, sitting back in their chairs and talking with us instead of examining Grace.

"How long have you known?" Alana was asking.

"About two years," Grace answered, now nursing Glory. "Found out accidentally on our honeymoon."

Lindsey glanced at Dean, standing in the corner of the room. "I won't ask." Dean chuckled good-naturedly and nodded. Looking back at Sam, who still rested on the arm of my chair, she said, "Monster hunters?"

Sam made a face, "Saving people," he said.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Dean continued, "Hunting things."

Together with my sister, we grinned as we finished the phrase, "The family business."

"And you all just found each other? Do hunters usually date and marry other hunters?"

Sitting forward, I decided to tell the story, considering that Grace was terrible at it. She always finds a way to make it sound so less amazing than it is. "The only thing Grace used to be was a psychic. She could touch someone and get flashes of their memories. Occasionally, she would dream about something and it would happen and every so often, she would have a vision while she was conscious." I took my last bite of my cookie and brushed my hands off. "She started dreaming about Dean without knowing anything about him. She was drawn to him, right from the beginning."

Dean smiled, having never really heard the story about how Grace began having dreams about the man she would eventually marry. Not even realizing he was moving, I'm sure, he stepped closer to my sister as I took a breath and smiled. He scooped Glory up out of her arms, ready to burp and cuddle his newborn daughter. Sam did the same, pulling up a chair to be more comfortable. The Winchester men waited with baited breath as I continued.

…

"Serra, I had that dream again," Grace was saying as I stumbled down the steps to breakfast. She was already sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee. One was waiting for me on the counter, still piping hot. It was like she was a psychic or something.

I plopped into the chair next to her with my coffee in my hands, pouring my favorite creamer into the cup and stirring it as she smiled. "Dream? What dream? You have a lot of dreams."

"About that guy I see in the bar," she said, taking another sip and buttering her toast.

I nodded, remembering. "The hottie with the leather jacket?"

"This time I talked to him. I think we're supposed to meet."

Grace was fascinating. Ever since we were kids, she had the ability to just _know_ things about people. The guys I brought home always had to pass the Grace test…and none of them ever did. They were always out to get into my pants, never holding a future with me. The last boyfriend I had walked through the door with me almost a month ago. We had been dating for about six weeks and I decided to have him meet my sister, just to see what she saw. Grace had been sorting laundry and when I brought him into the kitchen to introduce him; she glanced up and shook his hand. She had pulled away almost immediately, looking at me, tilting her head and saying, "No."

That had been the end of that.

"What was wrong with that one? He had such nice hair…and was such a good lay," I sighed as I sat on the couch.

"He was going to break up with you over a text," Grace shouted from the laundry room.

I rolled my eyes. "Fucktard," I said to myself, shaking my head. "What are you doing tonight?"

She came out of the laundry room, carrying the basket on one hip in true mom-form. "I'm going to go find him," she said, smiling. "I have to find him so I can get some fucking sleep."

"You're not sleeping?"

"The dreams are getting so vivid, they wake me up," she said, shaking out a towel. "He's so detailed…he drives a black Chevy and he has a brother. I'm pretty sure he's a hunter too and I'm thinking that's why I am being drawn in so intensely." Grace shook her head, rolling her eyes. "I've become a woman obsessed."

"He has a brother?" I asked, completely ignoring the rest of her comments.

"Back off, horn dog."

"Jerk," I said, rolling my eyes.

Grace didn't hesitate. "Bitch," she said, making a face.

…

"Wait, wait, wait," Sam was saying, bringing us out of my flashback. "You called each other 'jerk' and 'bitch' before we met?"

Grace and I nodded slowly, not understanding. "Yeah, we've said it for years," I said, glancing at him, confused.

Dean and Sam exchanged a grin. "We were fated to be with each other," he said, smiling, pointing at Dean. "He's the jerk."

"You're the bitch," Dean said. "Look at that, the jerks are together and the bitches are together."

Grace giggled from her spot on the bed. "That's pretty funny," she said.

Lindsey shook her head, waving her hands in the air. "No, don't lose focus! I want to hear the rest!" She stared at Grace. "Did you really dream about him?"

She nodded, taking a bite of the sandwich that Dean had brought for her hours ago. "For weeks. I couldn't get him out of my mind."

"It's because I'm so irresistible," Dean said, smug.

I shook my head, "Anyway, she went out that night to find him."

…

"Are you nervous?" I asked, watching Grace get ready in the mirror. "I mean, what is this guy to you? You keep dreaming about him, but why? What if he's some crazy psychopath that is gonna try and kill you."

"I would have seen that, don't you think?"

I lifted my eyebrows, crossing my arms. She was right. Every horrible thing that had ever happened in our family, Grace had dreamed it first. Then, we would always try to change the path. And every time, every fucking time, we had lost. "Alright, so what? What are you going to do once you find him?" I paused and smiled, "Fuck him?"

Grace turned, smiling, "And what if I do?"

"Slut!" I said, dodging out of her reach. "This is a stretch, even for you. A series of visions in order to get laid?" I paused a minute, still laughing, "Although, it has been a really long time for you."

"It hasn't been that long!" Grace said, standing back to look at herself in the mirror. She looked awesome in black leggings and a long cream colored sweater, her green army jacket and her signature rings and long layered necklaces. "Jason was what, four months ago?"

"Seven."

She made a face because I was right. "Fine. It's been awhile, but no. It's not a vision to get me laid." She turned and grinned at me, "Although, he's beautiful. I wouldn't mind."

"I'm sure you wouldn't," I smiled. "Use protection," I sashayed out of the bathroom. I knew she rolled her eyes without even looking at her. She stood in front of her closet and sighed. "What's the matter?" I asked, laying out on her bed, playing on my phone.

She shrugged, "My brown boots are covered in mud from the rougarou last night," she said. "I only have one pair of brown boots."

"Well, whose fault is that?"

Grace rolled her eyes again and put her hands on her hips. "Look, boot hoarder, gimme a pair of brown boots so I can go get laid."

I laughed and rolled off of her bed. "Cowboy or biker?"

"I don't care, pick!"

"This is why you haven't been laid in seven months," I said, heading back into my room. "You only have one pair of brown boots."

"Right. I'll keep that in mind."

She padded down the steps into our living room and I plopped back in front of the open books I had laid out over the couch and coffee table. "Text me," I said, going back to work, "and find out about that brother."

Grace chuckled as she picked up her bag and headed towards the door. "Got it. Love you."

"Love you back."

She didn't know it, but I heard her come home late that night. I stood at the door of my bedroom and listened for a man's voice, but she was there alone. The next morning, when I saw that she was still asleep confirmed what I already knew: she had made contact and it had gone well.

…

"Of course it went well," Dean said under his breath.

I shook my head. "You were a mess, though. The Mark had you by the balls."

Lindsey spoke for the first time in what seemed like hours. She was confused, "The Mark? What's The Mark?"

Dean rolled up his sleeve as I explained, "The Mark of Cain. It was put on him way before we met, by Cain himself in order to kill a Knight of Hell. She was a real bitch, from what I hear. It basically makes him an unstoppable badass and really hard to kill."

"And when you pair her with it," Dean continued, "you create this perfect storm of awesome. She gains power from touching it and helps her heal when necessary."

Lindsey and Alana exchanged glances and Alana raised her eyebrows. "So you are literally the yin to her yang," Alana stated, staring at Dean.

"Yeah, pretty much," Dean said, eyeing my sister. "Red string of Fate."

"It's so romantic," Lindsey sighed. "The last date I went on, he didn't even pay for dinner."

Grace stood slowly, staring at Everett. She glanced over at Lindsey and said, "Yeah, it's all been pretty amazing. The Mark and I also have kind of a downfall, though."

"What kind?"

Everett began to cry, just like I knew he would because Grace knew it was coming. She picked him up and cuddled him against her chest and he stopped crying almost immediately, nuzzling her skin. Turning to face her audience, she glanced at Dean and just barely, I saw him nod. There was something in that nod that I didn't understand, so I listened intently as well. "I've given birth to three kids in less than two years," she said, then pressed her lips together into a tight line.

"Wow, really? That fast?" Alana said, shaking her head. "But what does The Mark have to do with that? I mean, go on the pill or something."

"I was," Grace said quietly. "With both pregnancies."

Lindsey went into doctor mode, asking personal questions that I'm sure Sam was uncomfortable with, but stayed silent anyway. "No human error? Missing pills?" Grace shook her head and Lindsey continued. "So stop having sex."

"Would _you_ stop having sex with him?" Grace said, gesturing to Dean. Both doctors shook their heads slowly, smiling in an obvious sort of way. Alana flushed slightly, suddenly embarrassed when Dean winked at her. Grace slapped his shoulder and he chuckled, moving back towards his window in the corner.

Tilting her head, Lindsey continued as if there was no embarrassment. "Then how do you keep getting pregnant?"

Grace pointed at Dean's arm and raised her eyebrows. "Between this and the fact that I'm half and half, to say that we're not reproductively challenged is an understatement."

I stared at my friends, gauging their reactions. Sammy leaned forward slightly, talking mainly to Dean, but including Grace in the conversation. "Are you done having kids?"

"I think it's safe to say that three is enough, Sammy," Dean said, making a face. Grace nodded behind him, still holding my nephew against her chest.

Alana and Lindsey exchanged glances and I knew they were thinking the same thing. Grace smiled from behind Dean, hearing the doctors' thoughts and I knew that some conscious decision had been made, but I was completely in the dark as to what it was. "What, guys? For those of us who aren't psychics or surgeons, let us in the loop."

Shrugging her shoulders, Lindsey said, "We can have Grace's tubes tied." She glanced at Alana, "We'll write it as a medically necessary procedure and have insurance cover it."

Glancing at his wife, Dean raised his eyebrows. "Tying tubes? What does that mean?"

I was already shaking my head, "It's not gonna work, Gracie," I was saying. I turned to explain to Alana and Lindsey, "She self-heals, guys. Three kids on the pill. The twins aren't even _identical_. They were two _separately_ fertilized eggs." I took a breath, though it was hard these days with Levi in the way. "You'll do the tubal ligation and in twelve weeks, she'll be knocked up again because one of those buggers got through."

"It just seems impossible," Dr. Lindsey was saying, "tubal ligations are a big deal. I mean, we could always block the fallopian tubes and create scar tissue instead, blocking the path." I was on my feet, striding over to my sister and lifting up her shirt.

"What are you doing?" Gracie asked, trying to pull her shirt back down.

I swatted her hand away, insisting on lifting it enough that she had to move Everett. I pulled the front of her sweats down slightly as well. "Liberty, her first, was a c-section. Does it look like she had a c-section not quite two years ago?" I stared at my sister's stomach and was hit with a pang of envy. Her stretch marks were already fading and her belly was hardly a new mother's belly. I looked up at my audience, saying, "Does it even look like she gave birth four hours ago?"

Alana and Lindsey stood from their chairs and walked towards Gracie, mouths open in shock. Dean took Everett and got out of the way as they approached, staring at her lower abdomen, completely free from the scar that should have been there from being cut open to birth my first niece. It was also the first time I had seen my sister's tattoos in about a year and I took a second glance at them while her shirt was up. They looked faded.

"Did you see this?" I said quietly to Grace, "They're fading away."

She nodded sadly. "I think it's The Mark." She turned around, lifting her shirt to show the swallows on her back as well. "These started after Cas healed me after Crowley. I noticed my sugar skull after I went into labor with them."

Dean moved towards the front of his wife and stared, shaking his head. "I hadn't noticed until now, under the fluorescents." He stared at her, "What does this mean?"

"It means that a tubal ligation won't work on Grace," I said, scolding. "There's no way that her body will allow someone to tie up her fallopians. It's just not going to happen." I gestured to his arm. "And if that fucker has anything to do with it, she'll be pregnant again in a few months, as soon as these two come off the boob."

Grace closed her eyes and shook her head, pulling her shirt and pants back into position. She turned to stare at Glory, asleep in the bassinet and everyone in the room stayed quiet. From her position, with her back still towards us, Grace spoke quietly. "Then take it out."

"Take what out?" Dean said; his voice low and cautious.

Turning back towards us, she shrugged. "All of it. Give me a hysterectomy."

I stared at my sister, open mouthed, shaking my head. "Grace, wait."

"What do I need it for?" She glanced back at Dean who obviously wanted nothing to do with the conversation. "We don't want any more kids, and you know that I'll get pregnant again." She shrugged, "Why not?"

The next conversation was uncomfortable for the boys, so they elected to find us more food instead. Lindsey, Alana, and I tried to explain to my sister about hormones and how out of balance she would be if we had her entire reproductive system removed, but she was resistant to our pleas. An hour and two feedings later, I was pacing around the room, my hand on my lower back because it hurt, yet again.

"Grace, shut up. Just listen," I was saying, "a hysterectomy is a last resort even when you have _cancer._ The amount of pills you would have to be on to replace your missing hormones isn't worth it. We can find another way." I popped my neck as I turned to face her again. "For fuck's sake, use a condom."

She made another face at me and rolled her eyes. "For the rest of my life? With my own husband?"

"I take it a vasectomy is out?" Alana asked, rubbing her face. "I mean, this is all so weird to me…normally I'm having conversations with people about how to _get_ pregnant, not the opposite."

Grace shook her head. "He'll heal."

We were all at a loss. As she leaned over to stare at her newest children, I stared at her. The sunlight caught my sister's face in just the right way that I could see the details of her face in sharp relief. I couldn't make out any differences in her features since my memories of her in high school. She looked exactly the same. I stood up and walked over to her, taking her chin in my hand. "What?" she asked, frowning at me.

"You don't have any wrinkles."

Pulling her face away from my hand, she shook her head and made a face at me. "Of course I do. I've got the crow's feet and the smile lines," she was saying, gesturing at her face. I shook my head, completely disagreeing with her.

"No you don't. Your face is completely smooth, Grace. It's disgusting."

She moved towards the mirror in the bathroom and inspected herself. "I'm almost thirty-three! I have wrinkles…" Alana stood next to her in the mirror and tilted her head, watching her. "Don't I?"

"I don't think you do," Alana said, mystified.

I came over to them, standing under the harsh light of the hospital bathroom. Though I was more than five years younger than my sister, I looked five years older than her. Her face was porcelain, just as it had been when we were in our early twenties. It's like she had stopped aging at twenty-one. _Why hadn't I ever noticed before?_

"Because I had wrinkles, Serra," Grace answered my thought, "I did. I know I did."

"You don't now," I said, annoyed. "Really? You get to be taller, you're a nephilim, _and_ you're not aging? What the fuck, Grace? Don't I get anything?"

She was shaking her head, leaning towards the mirror, feeling her face. "I don't understand," she was muttering to herself. "I need to age."

The boys came walking back in, carrying drinks and brown bags, obviously having gone to a burger joint of some sort and were met by the three of us, staring into the mirror. Lindsey still sat, checking her phone, shaking her head at Dean when he glanced down at her. "I don't know what's happening," she said. "Grace thinks she's not aging."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked, moving towards her, setting the food on the counter. "How can you not be aging?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Castiel

I have been listening to the Winchesters for the last hour or so finally realize that Grace's status as a nephilim and Dean's Mark of Cain have dramatically slowed, even stopped her human aging process. They haven't realized, yet, that The Mark of Cain has also stopped Dean from aging as well. I have known for some time that this would eventually come to light, but I have been unable to find the time or place to break the news to them. It seemed unfair that they would be greeted with such news after being taken into Hell and tortured for many weeks and before I knew it, Grace was too far along in her pregnancy to worry her with news such as this.

As an Angel of the Lord, I am supposed to be dedicated to our Father and only our Father, but my love and support towards the Winchesters has been too strong to resist. I feel that He understands my faithfulness to them and hope to continue my involvement with my human family.

I adore Liberty. I am unsure that I completely understand her as a creature yet, but we share a profound bond. I have taken it upon myself to observe her, waiting for the signs that she is gifted as well. I know that the blending of The Mark of Cain and a nephilim will create very powerful offspring; I just have yet to figure out what her talents might be. The infants that Grace carried will have more abilities than Liberty…they developed while Grace was forced to survive the worst kind of torture. She was as close to being an angel during her time in Hell as she ever will be. I really will not be surprised if the twins will end up with abilities similar to Grace.

Dean is concerned, as he is so often, about his wife and her newest discovery about herself. I have no idea how to tell them that no matter what, as long as they are united as husband and wife, they will pull power from each other and continue to be stopped in time.

They will be classified as Immortals.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Grace

The longer I stare at myself in the mirror, the more the panic starts to take hold. I used to have wrinkles. I know I did, but now, as I gaze, my face is that of a twenty-year-old. I don't even have to look at Dean to tell that he is inspecting me. I can hear his thoughts as they race through his head, knowing that he and The Mark are responsible for my reversal. I pull my shirt up and stare at my stomach and hips, almost convinced that I can see the sugar skull fade along with my bright white stretch marks from Everett and Glory. How can this be happening?

 _Cas, if you can hear me, now would be a good time to show up._

I glance to Serra, who, still annoyed, is watching me as well. She hasn't quite put together how upset I am. I walk past her, out of the bathroom and head back to the bed, sitting down with my head in my hands. "What's the big deal?" she says, following me out of the bathroom and standing in front of me. "You look better now than you ever did."

"Serra," I said, rubbing my face with my hands, "I can't outlive my kids."

"Oh fuck," she said, realization finally hitting her. "How…?"

Dean and I spoke in tandem, "The Mark."

I glanced at him, leaning my head to one side. "And the fifty-fifty thing." I stared at him, narrowing my eyes as I searched his face for the crow's feet I knew were there. It was one of the things I loved most about his face. When he smiled; a genuine smile, crow's feet crinkled at the corners of his green eyes. I stood, faster than Serra expected, and she took a step back, watching me head towards Dean. He watched me momentarily, his eyes searching my face for the purpose behind what I was looking for.

"What?" he finally asked quietly. "What's the matter?"

"Your lines are faded, too." I answered, staring up at him. I turned to Sam, whose eyes had similar crinkles when he grinned and saw that his were still etched where they should be. I looked back at my husband and shook my head. "Your skin is smoother. You look younger."

"No," Dean said, stepping around me, heading towards the mirror as well.

I could hear Serra and Sam's thoughts as well; _What does this mean?_

 _Are you doing it to each other?_

 _How are you going to stop it?_

 _What are you going to do?_

I was shaking my head, trying to block out their panic as well as my own. I had a feeling that something like this could happen, but it seemed so far fetched and absurd, that it never occurred to me that it could be a reality. My mind went immediately to our future, watching Serra and Sam age, along with our children, and Dean and I would remain the same, stuck in the same bodies we had always been in. Lib, Glory and Everett would all move on and have kids of their own, and there we would be, looking the same age as our kids. Tears filled my eyes as I considered all over these possibilities in rapid succession and I tried to hold it together, but with the fresh batch of hormones from recently giving birth and once again breastfeeding, I was incapable of doing so.

Dean saw me break first, walking towards me and wrapping me in a hug before I gasped for air. Serra stepped away, still silent, allowing Dean to comfort me. Lindsey and Alana, who honestly, I had forgotten were even still in the room with us, nodded to Sam and disappeared out through the door. I could tell that Serra was unwilling to leave my side, but there was absolutely nothing that she could think of to say to me. She walked towards us, put a hand on my shoulder and took Sam's hand and left the room as well.

We stood in the middle of my delivery room, silently, for a long time. I couldn't even bring myself to lift my arms and return Dean's hug. The next thing I knew, I was shaking my head and speaking into his shoulder, "I cannot outlive our kids."

"I know," he said, his voice deep and soft. "We'll figure this out."

I nodded, tears still leaking down my face as one of the babies began to fuss. I hadn't learned their individual sounds yet, but I listened momentarily, trying to decide: Everett or Glory?

Releasing me from his hold, Dean stepped towards the crib, glancing at his newest children. "I haven't even had a chance to tell you that you did a good job," he said, smiling weakly. "I can't believe they're here."

I followed his line of sight as the fussing increased intensity and walked to where he stood next to the bassinet. Lifting his arm around my shoulders, we stared down at our son and daughter and I leaned my head on his shoulder. The fussy culprit was Glory, doing everything in her power to suck on her hand, but not quite achieving the connection on her own. I reached down and moved the swaddle away from her face so she could make contact with her chubby little fist and she settled down almost immediately. I turned my attention to Everett and stared down at him lovingly. He looked so much like Dean, it was astounding. I reached down to touch his face and the longer I kept contact, the more I could feel a tingle through my fingers and up my hand. It was a puzzling sensation; one that I recognized from touching The Mark on Dean's arm, though not nearly as intense. I pulled my hand away from his face and gazed at him, completely confused.

Dean could sense my unease and turned to look at me. "What?" he almost whispered.

"When I touched his face, my fingers tingle," I whispered back, "like when I touch The Mark."

Stepping away so he could turn completely, Dean stood in front of me with his eyes wide. "What does _that_ mean?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I have no idea."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Castiel

Let it never be said that the Winchesters are slow. I was listening intently to Grace's thoughts as she learned that she was not aging and then was surprised when I heard her jump to the conclusion that Dean is not aging either. I know I must meet with them, but I just keep hoping that they will catch a break one of these days. Considering that neither of the sibling sets are hunting anymore, their farm life has become quite complicated. Once more, I can hear Grace's prayer pull me towards her. I want to answer her, I want to go to her to be a comfort, but I have no clue how I would even broach the matter.

Watching Dean fall in love was one of the most interesting experiences I have ever witnessed. For as long as I have known him, he has been guarded and cautious against forming outside relationships. Sam, on the other hand, has longed for the connection he made with Serendipity. Dean was not looking for Grace, but he did not question what Fate had in store for the both of them. For someone as private and hesitant as Dean, I am surprised each day by the dedication and blind trust that Dean has in Grace. He would follow her to the ends of Earth and Heaven if it meant staying by her side.

That is what concerns me.

I glanced to my left while lying in a very human position next to Lucia. Angels do not sleep, and yet, there she was, covered in only the white sheet that I shared with her, with her eyes closed and breathing softly. We had been lost in each other the night before, and I smiled as I realized that Dean would be proud. I had no idea what would follow in the coming days and weeks with her, but I also knew that I was very happy.

My thoughts returned to Grace and what we would need to do in order for her to continue aging with Dean. My first thoughts were to simply stop touching The Mark of Cain, but I had no idea the affect it would have on Dean. We still had no cure for The Mark, other than Grace, and for her to stop touching it now…well. I am not entirely sure how Dean would handle it. Many things have changed since The Mark was cast on him; he is a husband and a father of three. I doubt that he would do anything to consciously hurt any member of his family, but it remains so difficult to control.

Lucia stirred next to me and I turned to gaze at her once more. She was truly a beautiful creature; seraphs always are, but Lucia was also very different from the typical angel. She showed more human traits than the others were used to, which is probably why I was attracted to her. We had both accepted Free Will and chosen to show physical love to one another.

Dean was right. It was fun.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dean

Saying goodbye to Jody was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. She stayed for about three weeks after Everett and Glory were born, soaking up as much baby time as she could. It wasn't as if she was moving far (her new apartment was about ten minutes from our place) but just knowing that we couldn't use her to our beck and call anymore was a little unnerving.

Lib wasn't sure what was happening, but she went along with it anyway, making "Gamma" Jody promise that she would come over to play within the week.

"You're leaving me with three kids?" I asked once more as she pulled me into an embrace. "You know life is going to crumble around us without you here."

"You're a big boy," she said, smiling. "You and that gorgeous wife of yours will be fine."

I glanced at Grace and grinned. "She is gorgeous, isn't she?"

Jody kissed me on the cheek and wrapped Libby in a hug, swinging her around. "You help Momma take care of your brother and sister, you hear?" she said, stern. "I want to hear that you're being helpful, Liberty Adeline."

Lib nodded once, beaming. "Roly and Rhett. I help."

Tears came to Jody's eyes, hearing Lib speak her sibling's names. We had spent the day celebrating Lib's second birthday and now, she felt like she was grown up, ready to be at Grace's right hand whenever she needed her. I was incredibly proud of her and how well she was handling being a big sister.

"You call me when your cousin is born," Jody said, putting Libby down next to Grace. "I can't wait to meet him." She looked up to Grace, standing near me with Everett in her arms. "And you," she said, speaking now to Grace and only Grace. "You take care of yourself and don't let anyone else think they can screw with this family."

Nodding, a sly grin spread across my wife's face. "Not on their lives."

I watched them embrace and Jody nodded to the thoughts that Grace pushed into her brain. I had no idea what she said, but I had a feeling that it was about me. I looked away, knowing it was stupid to get this worked up over Jody leaving…but it was like a part of our lives would be empty without her filling the downstairs apartment. She had gotten us through so much in such a short amount of time and I would be forever grateful to the woman that felt like a mother to me.

Finally letting go, Grace took a step back and let Jody kiss Everett's forehead and then she bent to kiss Glory's hand while she slept in the swing. "We'll see you soon," I said, walking her to the front door.

"You'd better," Jody said, stepping down the porch and heading to her car.

I closed the door and turned to Grace, using a tissue to wipe her face and I smiled weakly. "She'll be back," I said, walking to Grace.

"I know," she said, knowingly. "Maybe when she retires."

I nodded and looked down at Liberty who was spinning around in a circle, arms out, attempting to stay on her feet. "Come on, Prima Ballerina. Bed time."

…

Liberty was in her own room now on a regular basis and the twins each had their own room as well, all on the top floor with us. We were officially out of bedrooms on the top floor, though, so if Grace got knocked up again, we'd have to start doubling up, or Grace and I would have to move downstairs. I shuddered at the thought and padded down the hall to my wife.

The freshly oiled door no longer squeaked when I pushed it open, so the only thing that would have given me away was my thoughts. Standing in the middle of the room, Grace was completely nude, inspecting her body in the full-length mirror. She was obviously too lost in her own thoughts to hear my own and I stood, watching her momentarily.

For the last three weeks, Grace had avoided my touch and we had barely even kissed since bringing the babies home. I knew what it stemmed from: she was terrified of accidentally touching The Mark, and of halting her aging process completely. I was more on edge than I was used to around her, mainly because she was the reason The Mark had faded the way it had. Without her touch, the heat and the anger was pushing against the outer ring of my subconscious and I knew she knew it as well. I wasn't upset at her for building up her walls again, I could see the reasons behind it, but I also knew we were stronger together than apart and we needed to fix the problem, and fast.

I took another step into the room and smiled, watching her turn slightly to see the swallows etched onto her back. They hadn't faded any more that I had noticed, but to her nephilim senses, that might not be the case. I marveled at her figure; her curves were in all the right places, true to the classic hourglass form. I wanted her so badly…longing for her touch and I took another step towards her.

My movements finally gave me away and she turned, smiling at me. "Hey gorgeous," I whispered, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Hi stranger," she said, turning completely to me. I closed our bedroom door with a gentle click and turned back towards my wife, slowly, begging permission. She was listening to me now, her eyes searching my face again, like she did in the hospital after figuring out I wasn't aging either.

 _I miss you,_ I thought, taking another step.

She nodded. "I miss you, too," she whispered.

I pulled my feet out of the boots and socks I was wearing and unbuttoned the top button of my flannel. I took another step towards her. _We can't live like this, Grace._

Another whisper, "I know."

 _We'll be okay,_ I continued, taking another silent step and undoing another button. _The kids will be okay. I know they will._

"How do you know?" she said, barely loud enough to hear.

I shook my head, "I don't." Another button. "But you're their mother and anyone raised by you will understand more about this world and the next than anyone else out there." I pulled off my flannel and closed the space between us. "Whatever happens, we have to be able to live, Grace. We can't be immortals and not enjoy ourselves."

She smiled, just barely, but I saw it. "The idea that I might have to watch them die," she said, struggling to take a breath, "or Serra, Levi, and Sam," she hid her face, "I don't know how to cope."

"Grace," I said gently, pulling her hands down, "stop. We have a lifetime to figure out what to do next. I'm used to dealing with stuff right down to the wire. This," I smiled, "this is cake."

I held her hand with my right as I cupped her face with my left. She leaned into my touch, sending electricity down my arm, making me sigh with pleasure. Not realizing how tense I had been from her lack of contact, it was like she was revitalizing me, calming me. The Mark responded to her touch as well; I saw it glow momentarily and then immediately fade, just by me making contact with her. Leaning down ever so slightly, I waited for her to look up at me with those bright blue eyes. Finally, her eyes flicked up to mine and I knew I had her.

I kissed her then, pulling her face close to mine. I could feel her lips turn upwards into a smile and immediately, her entire body relaxed. She wrapped her free arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer as I let go of her hand and felt the warmth from her bare back against my palm.

We kissed like we were still dating, just standing in the middle of our bedroom and making out like we did so long ago after our first pie date. Somewhere along the line, she realized that she was the only one that was completely naked and she backed away, tugging at my black undershirt. Pulling as high as she could, she gave up, not tall enough to take it off over my fingertips, so I brought down my arms, letting it fall to the ground next to her. I curved back around her then, picking her up off the floor and turning in place to head back towards the bed.

Slowly, I pushed her down, not breaking contact from our kiss as I bent down over her. She worked my belt, trying her best not to have to stop kissing me. My belt has never been her strong suit; she gave up quickly and cupped my face with her hands instead, leaving me to fumble with the leather. Finally, I was able to drop my jeans and join her on the bed.

I took my time, getting to know my wife again.

We were sweaty our second time around, the passion getting the better of us. We were hard into a rhythm, completely ignorant of anything that may happen around us. Grace was sitting, her legs wrapped around my waist and as she pulled herself closer to me, her eyes went wide and she gasped, looking at something over my shoulder.

I turned too, shock taking over and with a thump; we slid out of the bed and landed on the floor, still tangled around one another. "Jesus fucking Christ, Cas," I said, rubbing my back as Grace reached for the sheet to cover herself. "I know you can hear her! Do us all a favor and listen for a minute before you just appear in the middle of our bedroom while we're fucking."

"Is a position like that difficult to achieve?" Castiel asked, completely ignoring my scolding.

Grace's face was priceless. "Are you taking notes?" she asked, pushing her hair out of her face and struggling to stand, still trying to wrap the sheet around her body.

He tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows and shaking his head. "I have no paper. Should I be?"

"Holy shit," I said under my breath. I grabbed the pair of boxers that lay on the ground next to me. Pulling them on and standing up in front of my still-naked wife, I sighed. "What do you want, Cas?"

"It's still early in the evening," he said, turning away from us to look out the window. "I assumed you would still be downstairs. I thought I would come to see the babies."

"Privacy, doors. Knocking," I was saying, gesturing to our bedroom door. "These are a few very human, but very necessary things you need to keep in mind." He nodded, apologetic. A thought occurred to me then, still staring at Cas, "Why do you care what position we were in?"

"I find my lack of experience to be challenging at times with Lucia," he responded, turning back to face us nonchalantly. "We still enjoy copulating very much, but I feel we have a lot to learn."

"Wait, wait, wait," Grace said from behind me, "you. And Lucia?"

Castiel nodded once, seemingly confused at her confusion. "Yes. We have been seeing each other on a regular basis for about five weeks."

Grace nodded slowly, her mouth dropped open. "Five weeks," she repeated.

"Five weeks."

I raised my eyebrows at Grace and shook my head. "That's awesome, man," I said, "but you gotta get the fuck out of our room."

"I understand," Cas said, nodding once. With a swoosh of his wings, he was gone.

"What," I said, rubbing my face, "the fuck."

Grace was giggling, her hand over her eyes, shaking her head. "That's like, the fourth time he's done that!" I shook my head as well; intent on finding the rhythm we had, only moments ago. I bent to kiss her again, but, just as we were finding where we left off, one of the twins began to cry, echoing through the baby monitor on the dresser behind us.

"Of course," I sighed, backing away from Grace. She smiled and kissed me again, taking my face in her hands.

"This isn't over," she said, standing and opening the door, still completely nude. She disappeared into the dark hall and a few minutes later, came back, Everett in tow, already nursing.

I watched her get settled on the bed, dimming the lights more than they already had been, and stroked my son's head as I marveled at my wife. Breastfeeding Liberty had been difficult for her, but two years had passed. She was a natural now, more than enough milk for both of the twins, and keeping them happy had been easy. Everett seemed to eat more often than Glory did, and he favored Grace over me. Obviously, he was a Momma's Boy, right from the start.

"Listen here, son," I said, stroking his head gently. "We were in the middle of something, so don't you think you get to set up shop here." His eyes opened and stared at me momentarily, his eyebrows narrowing in a judgy way. "Don't you look at me like that," I whispered, getting closer to his face. "She's mine."

Everett kicked his feet and pushed my face away. "The battle for my attention begins," Grace said quietly, laughing softly. I laid my head on Grace's thigh and waited patiently for my turn to have Grace in my arms again.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Serra

I didn't realize at first why Grace not aging was a big deal. I'm a 'small picture' person, worried about only what is in front of me. Grace (as usual) is the exact opposite, seeing the future ahead of us… the 'big picture,' if you will. She had wondered, on occasion, if The Mark would have any affect on either one of them, but I hadn't considered the possibility. It's why they had always seemed so perfect for each other. When we walked out of the delivery room, I grabbed Sammy's hand and let Dean deal with her…I needed some head space too.

In the days and weeks that followed, the doctors sent Grace and the babies home and we got to watch Liberty meet her brother and sister. She was fascinated by the tiny creatures and we kept having to remind her to be gentle. Johnny became nursemaid almost immediately, setting up camp on the blankets in between Glory and Everett. He kept an eye on Lib as well, nosing her in the face when she got too close to the sleeping infants. It was a good arrangement.

Levi was big and he was starting to push in all the wrong places in my own body and I was constantly uncomfortable. I was convinced that his elbows were digging into my lungs and his head was wedged up under my ribs.

Less than a week before my due date, the whole family was over at me and Sam's. The boys cooked dinner and after we ate, we were sprawled out in the middle of the living room, babies, kid, and dog sprinkled about and I stretched out on the floor as far as I could to get Levi out of the way so I could take a deep breath.

"How's it going over there, Sere?" Sam's voice asked quietly. "You doing okay?"

I grumbled under my breath and rolled to the side, dreading the time when I would have to get back up, off the floor. "No. I'm over being pregnant, but on the flip side, I don't want to give birth, either."

Grace rolled her eyes at me, "You can't have it both ways."

"You don't know," was my automatic reply, knowing full well that she was right.

I glanced at my sister, trying to read her the best I could without being a psychic myself. We hadn't talked about her and Dean's lack of aging since the hospital and I wasn't sure how to bring it back up. For now, we enjoyed each other's company and I tried not to think about the oncoming birth. I glanced at Sam and smiled lightly and he smiled back. I noticed Dean's gaze, locked on my sister and I followed his line of sight. She was nuzzling Everett, her face was close to his and she was talking to him quietly. I looked back at Dean and smiled to myself. He may have panicked about having three kids, but I knew he loved every minute of it. If anyone could figure out how to handle being ageless with my sister, I knew my brother-in-law could.

He caught me staring and raised his eyebrows at me. "How's it going over there, Beach Ball?"

"Cram it with walnuts," I growled, my mood swinging back the other way. He laughed, knowing I was only half kidding and Grace shook her head. She paused, listening to something no one else could hear and made a face. I stared at her, waiting for an explanation and she shook her head. "What?" I insisted, knowing that she knew something I didn't.

"I don't want to tell you," she said, rolling to her side and smiling knowingly.

"Dammit, Grace," I said, but I was cut off by a pain rolling through my back and around my stomach. I glanced and her and she pressed her lips together apologetically. "Oh, shit," I said, taking a deep breath.

Sam was on his feet and over to my side on the floor in a matter of seconds. "What?" he asked, squatting down to me, "What is it?"

"Grace just predicted me going into labor," I answered, looking up at _him_. _He_ was the reason I would be in pain for the next two days, at least. "I just had my first fucking contraction."

"Sorry," came Grace's voice behind Sam. "I told you that you couldn't have it both ways."

I reached for Sam's offered hand as he helped me stand. "Oh shut up," I snapped, walking to the couch. I stepped over Johnny and a sleeping Libby and plopped down on the cushions behind me. I put my feet up and waited for the inevitable. Grace stood as well, walking over to me and putting a hand on my gigantic belly. She listened quietly for a second or two and smiled. "This should be interesting."

"How long have I got?"

Shaking her head, she shrugged. "Your water hasn't broken yet. You've probably still got awhile." She bent to scoop up Glory as she started to fuss. "You're in the industry, though. You make the call." She sat down next to me and got comfortable so she could nurse Glory.

I shook my head. She was right. If my water hadn't broken yet, I would just get sent home to wait it out for harder contractions to start. We were only about six minutes from the hospital and everyone there knew I was due next week. I leaned my head back on the couch, "I'll wait it out for a bit," I said, closing my eyes. "I've been tortured in Hell. How bad could it be?"

…

This really fucking sucks. Dean had taken the girls home, leaving Grace and Everett with Sam and me. After the second contraction hit, he hit the door running, not wanting to even be in the same room with me while I experienced labor for the first time. It had been about three hours and the pain was bearable, but I knew I wouldn't be on board with it in about two hours. Sam had been busy, cleaning up the dishes from dinner and bringing down my fuzzy boots and bag for the hospital trip. Grace stayed near me, but I could tell that she wanted to go home, if nothing else, to shower and get ready so she could go with us to the hospital.

"It's okay, Grace, you can go," I said, contraction free for about the last ten minutes. "I'll text you when we head over."

She lifted her eyebrows, asking permission. "Are you sure?" she asked, bouncing a very noisy Everett. He had been on the edge of crabby all evening and she continued the pacing pattern around the living room as she spoke. "If you need me, I'll stay."

I was shaking my head when the next contraction struck. "No," I said through the pain, "go home and get ready. I'll text you when we head over and then you can come and hold my hand if I end up killing him." I gestured at Sam, who shrugged slightly.

"Okay," Grace said, turning to the door, "I'll go and shower so I'm ready."

"Whatever," I said, breathing slowly.

My sister hesitated at the door and grinned at Sam, "Good luck, Sammy," she said, opening the door, walking out, and closing it behind her.

…

About an hour later, my water still hadn't broken, but the contractions were getting close enough together that I didn't feel comfortable staying at home any longer. "Alright, jerk," I said to my husband, waggling my fingers at him, "help me up. We're going."

Sam held out his hand, shaking his head as he pulled me into a standing position. "Are you going to be mean to me the whole time you're in labor?"

"Probably," I said, rubbing my back. "I'm so sorry that I hurt your wittle feewings," I muttered as another contraction hit me, walking down the steps.

"It's a good thing your sister is coming," Sammy said, locking the door behind us. "She'll be able to throw it back at you."

"She won't if she knows what's good for her." I pulled out my phone and texted her, although I'm sure Grace already knew that we were on our way. I glanced towards The Big House as we drove away in Sam's El Camino and saw her standing in the doorway, waving at me.

…

"They're on their way to the hospital, Dean," Grace was saying, staring out the front door and waving. "She's nervous."

"I'll bet," Dean said, walking towards her. "Should I call Jody to come stay with the kids? Or is it still going to be awhile?"

Shaking her head and gathering what she needed and throwing it into her purse, Grace shrugged. "It's up to you, really. I think it will still be awhile. She's only been in labor three hours or so, and it's her first kid, so it's gonna take a bit." She walked over towards Dean laying a hand on his chest. "Get some sleep and I'll call you when he's close. Or if Sammy needs you."

"Deal," he said, leaning closer to kiss his wife. "Don't let her talk shit to you."

"You know she will," Grace responded. "She's not going to handle this well."

Laughing, Dean took the last swig of his beer. "No, no she's not."

Smiling over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her, Grace headed towards the newest addition to their car collection: an army green 1970 Chevy Suburban. Dean had begun restoring it in his off time; her purple Chevelle was tucked away safely in the barn until repairs could be completed. The rollover that it had suffered had already cost Dean and Grace quite a bit, but Dean did what he could from parts he could scavenge from his body shop. The Suburban had been christened "The Tank" and a tank it was. It had the capacity to hold nine people, fully loaded, which meant that even if Sam and Serra decided to have another child, _all_ of the Winchesters could ride in the same vehicle, if need be. Now that Grace was taking an extended leave of absence (maybe permanently, she hadn't decided yet,) she would need to be able to cart around Liberty, Everett, Glory, and Levi at the same time. The Chevelle wouldn't cut it.

Enter The Tank.

She pulled out of their driveway and out on to the highway as her phone pinged with another text from her sister. _This fucking blows._

Grace chuckled to herself. It was going to be a long night.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sam

Walking Serra into the maternity ward at her hospital was very strange. It didn't seem real; I was married, my wife was pregnant, and I was about to be a father. The nineteen-year-old in my head was in full panic mode. I didn't know what to do with a baby. What was I going to do with a kid?

I stared down at Sere and did everything I could not to turn and run out the doors, knowing very well that I didn't want to do that and that if I did, she would send a hunting party after me that included Grace and Dean. Seeing her in pain was a terrifying experience and I willed Grace to get here as soon as she could. While she checked in with the nurse, it occurred to me that I had no idea how to handle any of this because I was never forced to do so. Dean was always there, handling what needed to be handled and doing the hard stuff in life for me. He was always there to take the bullet or help me though, making decisions for me or holding my hand, so to speak. He always experienced things first, so at least I knew what to expect, but when it came down to it, part of me wished he could do this part for me, too.

The nurse at the check in station pointed towards the elevators and Serra nodded, leading me towards them and pointing to the wheelchair that was in front of her. Without thinking, I wheeled it towards her, she sat down and I pushed her towards the elevator doors. They opened as we approached and Serra was hit with another contraction as we rode up to the fourth floor.

As I rolled her down the hall towards the nurses' station, we were greeted by Dr. Alana, Serra's friend, who now knew our secrets. She smiled at Serra, a wide mouthed grin, and leaned in to hug her. "Look at you!" she said, standing back to stare at my wife. "How close are the contractions?"

"About five minutes," Serra answered, glancing up at me. "My water hasn't broken yet, though, so I'm probably not even dilated yet."

"Not necessarily," Dr. Alana was saying as she led us down the hall to Serra's private delivery room. "We'll get you set up and check." Smiling up at me, she asked, "How are you, Sammy?"

I knew I needed to acknowledge her, so I did my best to smile and nod in response. Serra didn't hear me answer, so she looked up to my face and furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you freaking out? You're not allowed to freak out right now."

Dr. Alana smiled and pushed the door open. "There's a hospital gown on the bed. Get changed and I'll send a nurse in to get your vitals and hook you up. I'll be back in about five minutes to check how much you're dilated." Serra nodded as she stood, ready to pull off her tank top and get changed. The door closed behind her and I stood in the middle of the hospital room, reminding myself to take deep, calming breaths.

"What is the matter with you?" she asked, pulling the hospital gown over her belly. She stared at me expectantly and put her hands on her hips. "Is it just hitting you now that I'm pregnant or what?"

I turned to stare at my beautiful wife and shook my head slowly. "We're gonna be parents," was all I could manage.

Serra smiled and closed the space between us. "Yeah, we are," she said, "and we're gonna be damn good ones." She took a sharp gasp of a breath as another contraction ripped through her. I held her by the shoulders as she breathed through the pain, slightly bent at the waist. "But if you think," she said, gritting her teeth, "that you get to freak out without me, you're wrong."

"Breathe and concentrate," I said, still holding her by her shoulders, "and I'm not freaking out without you." I paused, waiting for her contraction to end, "I'm just realizing that I've never handled something like this without Dean. He's always been the one to do all the big stuff for me."

"Hate to break it to you, Sammy, but he had nothing to do with this," Serra said, gesturing to the large bump under her hospital gown. She sat in the bed, still breathing deeply, waiting for the contraction to completely pass.

The nurse walked in with the cardiology cart and smiled at both of us. "Hey, Serra! Thirty-nine weeks! You made it!" She paused, holding the blood pressure cuff up as Serra held out her arm, "How you doing?"

Nodding, Serra smiled weakly. "At least it's not twins."

The nurse laughed, "Oh yeah, your sister, right?"

"Yeah," Serra agreed as she leaned back into the pillows behind her. Dr. Alana came in and smiled at the occupants in the room. "They're already five weeks," she said, still talking about Everett and Glory.

"How are they doing?" Dr. Alana asked, smiling knowingly.

Serra nodded, "They're good. Still figuring things out."

"I would assume that would be the case," Alana said, not really talking about the babies anymore. "Okay, lean back and we'll see how far you are." I moved out of the way, towards Serra's head, holding her hand and trying to stay calm. Dr. Alana continued the conversation as if it was a normal thing to converse while having your hand up…there. "Alright, Sere. You're already dilated about five centimeters, but we need to break that bag to keep things moving. This will really suck."

"You're gonna break the bag?" she asked, tense.

Alana nodded, "I have to, Serra. You're gonna stop dilating and then we'll end up with all kinds of problems." She paused, pulling her tray of instruments over towards her and pulled the stool closer to Serra. "Scoot down. Find a better spot, and get comfortable, because seriously. This is going to hurt worse than the contraction." Serra rolled her eyes and scooted down towards Alana. "Ready?"

"I guess?" Serra answered, still holding my hand. She glanced up at me and squeezed her eyes shut.

Alana reached again, using one of her many tools and Serra gripped my hand hard enough that my fingers popped. I hoped quietly that she hadn't broken any of them. "Breathe, Serra," Alana said, sitting up and watching my wife. She glanced at the contraction monitor and then up at me. "Get ready, Sam. I just threw her into hard labor."

Sure enough, the tiny green line began to climb as Serra began another contraction. "Oh, for fuck's sake," Serra breathed, wringing my hand.

I stared at the line as the countdown began at the bottom of the screen. "Fifteen more seconds, babe," I said into her ear. "Breathe."

She complied, but the grip on my hand tightened and she grunted in effort. Finally, I could see her body relax as the contraction ended and Alana smiled. "Good one," she said. "You want me to call Lindsey?"

"You haven't called Lindsey yet?" Serra asked, her voice dripping with distain. "Why _the fuck_ haven't you called her yet?"

"She lives about ten minutes away. You have time," Dr. Alana said, chuckling. "I'll call her and we'll get your epi tube set up." She paused and lifted an eyebrow. "She'll be able to, right?"

Serra allowed herself to smile and nod. "Yes. I'm the normal one," she said, laying her head back on the pillows. "And find out where my sister is, one of you."

"I'm right here," Grace answered from the hallway as she walked into the room. "I was about eight minutes behind you. Is life ending as you know it?"

"As a matter of fact, it is," Serra said, making a face. "This fucking sucks, Grace. Make it stop."

Grace shook her head, smiling up at me reassuringly. "Sorry, kiddo. Out of my hands."

Alana pulled out her cell phone and dialed, holding the phone up to her ear. "Hey, Linds," she greeted. "She's here!" She paused as Dr. Lindsey, the anesthesiologist spoke into the phone. "Yeah, she's doing well. About five centimeters, so we've got about an hour, I think." She paused again, smiling and nodding. "Sounds good. See you soon." Dr. Alana looked up at Serra and me and smiled. "She'll be on her way in about five minutes," she said, patting Serra's foot. "You'll only have to deal with the pain for about fifteen more minutes."

Serra nodded and laid her head back on the pillows again. She breathed deeply, trying to stay calm in between contractions. There was a slight knock on the door and Dean's face appeared. "What are you doing here?" Grace said, smiling, "Where are the kids?"

"Cas showed up," he said, chucking. "He appeared right outside of the front door, knocking incessantly until I opened it." I walked over to my brother and wrapped him in a hug, happy that he was there to share this with me, and more importantly, calm me down. He glanced over at Grace and grinned. "He even knocked again after I opened it."

Grace giggled, shaking her head. "I don't get it," Serra said, sitting up slightly. "What's funny?"

Glancing at her sister, Grace shook her head, "He bamfed into our bedroom a few days ago while we were in a compromising position."

"And then he asked if it was a 'difficult position to be in'," Dean said, laughing again.

Taking my spot by the bed, Grace brushed a strand of hair out of Serra's face and smiling, continued, "He and Lucia are 'copulating,' he says."

Serra laughed and stared at her sister. "'Copulating?'" she shook her head. "He used that word?"

Grace nodded. "When we went to Heaven to get Sam," she explained, "they were…friendly. Or at least as friendly as I would imagine angels to be." Grace's blue eyes flicked to the screen behind her. "Get ready," she said quietly.

I walked back over to Serra and took her other hand as she began to take deeper breaths. "This one is bigger," I said under my breath, "It's climbing faster."

Serra nodded and gritted her teeth. "Mother of all that is holy…" she gasped, "they're getting bigger."

"They're gonna," Grace said, pulling Serra's hair out of her face and wrapping it into a bun on top of her head. Dean was gone from the doorway, out in the hall talking to the nurses that walked by. All of them seemed to want to know how the twins were doing. "Breathe, Lucky. Don't forget to breathe."

She gasped for air as the mountain peaked and began to fall back to the bottom of the screen. I smiled at Serra and lifted my eyebrows. "You did well, Sere," I kissed her forehead, more at ease with Grace and Dean with us.

Looking back at Grace, Serra continued the conversation from where they left off. "So are they a couple now? Cas and Lucia?"

Grace shrugged. "I guess? Do angels date?"

"No, they copulate," Dean said, standing in the doorway again.

Casually re-braiding her hair, Grace smiled and shrugged, "Mom liked Cas," she said off-handedly. "I think she thought he was cute."

Serra's head whipped around to face her sister. "Mom liked Cas? What are you talking about, Grace? How would you know something like that?"

Grace's face went slack, realizing that she had never told Serendipity that she ran into their mother in Heaven while looking for Sam. "Shit, I forgot to tell you, Lucky. I saw Mom."

The look on Serra's face made me take a physical step back from her, getting out of the way as the sisters faced off. Dean remained in his position leaning on the doorframe, stuffing his hands into his pockets, trying his best to be invisible. I joined him, away from the girls.

"What do you mean, you saw Mom? And you _forgot_ to tell me? How could you do something like that, Grace? What the fuck?" Serra paused, looking around the room, "Well? What did she say? How did she look? Did she ask about me?"

Grace took Serra's hand and I could tell she was begging forgiveness. "God, Lucky, I'm so sorry. Life just kinda rolled on and I forgot. We didn't spend all that much time together—" Grace cut off suddenly, staring off into space. "You bitch," Grace said, slapping her shoulder. "You liar."

Serra laughed and recoiled. "I wondered how long it would take for you to figure it out." She pointed across the room at me. "Sam told me all about it when he got back."

Turning on me, the elder sister strode towards me and for about three seconds, I wondered if she was going to hit me. Dean took a step back, grinning, and waited for his wife to strike. "Why didn't you tell me you told her?" She pointed behind her, "You're on your own with her for a bit. Have fun!"

"Aw, come on, Gracie!" Serra shouted. "I was just fucking around." As Grace made a show about leaving the room, Dr. Alana came striding towards us with her phone in her hand and a stern look on her face. "Alana, what?" Serra's voice came from behind me, concerned at the look on her friend's face.

"Lindsey's car won't start," she said. "She hasn't left yet."

"What?" Serra practically shouted. "You said I had about an hour before we crossed the threshold!" The look of panic on Serra's face was enough to bring both Grace and me back into the room. "What are we going to do?"

Grace turned to Dean. "Go get her," she said, pointing.

"What?"

"Go get Lindsey," she repeated. Alana glanced at Dean, still holding her phone. "Otherwise _you_ get to deal with her during the height of delivery."

I shrugged at Dean, who stared at me with his eyebrows up. "Alright," he said. "Text me her address," he turned and strode down the hall towards the elevators. "I'll be back in thirty minutes."

"I'll call her and tell her he's coming," Alana said, dialing once again. "Good plan, Grace."

"Yeah, I'm full of them," she said, smiling.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Dean

If there was ever a time to break speed limits and haul ass through the country, now was the time to do it. There was no way in hell I wanted to witness my sister-in-law in full delivery without an epidural. Grace, I knew, could handle it, and I was sure that Serra could as well, but would she be pleasant? Not even a little bit.

I glanced down at my phone, seeing that I was still about four miles away from Lindsey's apartment in downtown Lawrence. A text alert showed up at the top of the screen from Grace. It read, "6 centimeters. You've got maybe ten minutes before we cross the point of no return." I laughed to myself and shook my head. I didn't know if I would make it.

Two minutes later, I was pulling up in front of Lindsey's apartment and she was waiting out front, ready to jump in. I slowed down long enough to let her close the door and tore off down the street again, peeling rubber through the intersection. "Hi, Dean," she greeted. "How close is it going to be?"

I handed her the phone and showed her the text that Grace just sent me. "It's gonna be close," I said, shrugging. "They've got your cart set up and she's sterilized, so all you'll have to do is wash and poke."

Lindsey laughed. "Sounds good," she said. "How are Everett and Glory?"

I whipped Baby onto the highway and pushed her to the limits. "They're awesome," I said, checking for traffic. "Rhett eats like it's going out of style and Glory has some major attitude already." I chanced a look at our newest friend, "Lib is loving being a big sister."

"I'll bet. I loved taking care of my little brother," she said, still holding my phone. It vibrated in her hand and she glanced down. "You want me to check it?"

I nodded, still pushing the Impala to her limits. "Yeah, go ahead."

"It's from Grace," she said, sliding the unlock key, "She says, 'This isn't going well.'"

Chuckling to myself, I shook my head. "I wouldn't imagine that it would be."

I almost missed the off-ramp, driving as fast as I was and whipped left to head back to the hospital. Lindsey opened the door and ran through the parking lot as I parked.

…

When I walked through the hall, Sam was running a hand through his too-long hair and rubbing his face. "What's up?" I asked, standing in front of the coffee machine they had at the end of the hall.

"She's seven centimeters," he said quietly. "The contractions are too close together. We missed the window."

"Oh shit," I said, pulling a Styrofoam cup from the stack and sticking it under the nozzle. "How'd she take that news?"

Sam only looked at me, deadpan. "Why do you think I'm out here?" he responded. "I'm the one that 'did it to her'," he continued, using his fingers as air quotes. He nodded towards Serra's delivery room. "Grace is in there right now. They're in it deep."

I walked towards the closed door of the room with my cup of black coffee and listened. Sure enough, Grace's voice was stern and Serra's was elevated, panic squeezing through her tight voice. "You can get a local and just deal with it, Serra! You were _tortured in hell_. This is something _natural._ "

"I don't really give a flying fuck," Serra was yelling through a contraction. "You knew I wanted the epidural! Why did you make me wait to go to the hospital?"

"Don't you dare blame this on me," Grace was saying, defending herself. "I told you at the house that _you're the one_ in the profession! That it was your choice!" There was silence from Serra; maybe a contraction gripped her to hard for her to argue back. Grace was counting then, telling Serra to concentrate and breathe. "Fifteen seconds. Breathe, Sere. Ten….five…breathe."

I backed away from the door and turned to my little brother. "You need to get your ass in there. You did this. Man up."

Sam was shaking his head, panic in those puppy dog eyes. "I don't know what to do," he was saying, his hands in his pockets as he took a step back. "I'm not a father."

"You're about to be," I said, taking a step towards him. My voice dropped an octave, being so firm with him. "Drop a pair and get it together." Tears came to Sam's eyes and I realized the problem: I didn't end up like Dad and Sammy figured it had to happen to one of us. "Look, man," I said, stepping closer, but softening considerably. "I've seen you with Lib. With Rhett and Glory," he was shaking his head, trying not to look me in the face. "You are a good guy, and a great uncle." I took a sip of my coffee, smiling. "We went from thinking that we wouldn't have anyone to take on the family name to four kids between the two of us in three years, Sammy."

He smiled lightly and nodded. "Yeah, if Dad could see us now," he said quietly.

"He'd be proud," I said, taking another step towards my brother. "Mom, too. She's gotta be flipping out with four grandkids." Sammy smiled again, his dimples finally showing. "You're gonna be a great dad. You'll figure it out." I patted him on the back reassuringly. "And if you don't, Serra will steer you in the right direction."

I pushed him gently towards the door and he glanced back at me, nodding, and walked through the door. "Where the _fuck have you been?_ " I could hear Serra's voice come through the door as Sam headed towards his wife. I chuckled to myself, so happy to finally be in the waiting room, sipping coffee, instead of in Sammy's position. Grace came hurrying out of the room, glancing around for me and laughing as she approached.

"She's high, she's low…" Grace shook her head. "Not handling the pain well. I can't wait 'til he is out of her." She eyed my coffee and I handed it to her, smiling at the gorgeous creature in front of me. She took it gratefully, taking a long sip. She handed it back to me and kissed me on the cheek. Staring up at me, "Should I go back in?"

I shook my head, "Nah, make Sammy own it for a bit. Sit with me," I said, turning towards the chairs in the waiting room. "It's nice not having to deal with delivery for a change."

"Tell me about it," she said, following me over to the seats against the wall. As she sat, she leaned against me, sighing. "We're done, right?"

"Having kids?" I asked, eyebrows up. "I thought so."

She nodded, moving my arm around her as she lay down on my lap. Staring up at me from my legs, she smiled. "I guess we'll figure out how to stop later, then, huh?"

I combed my fingers through her long, blonde hair and made a face. "Are we not done?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I think we are. I just don't want to make any decisions right now, with Serra and Sam's being born. It makes me want another one."

I laughed, looking up towards the door of Serra's room. "Oh, man. We're gonna up with a baseball team, huh?"

Reaching up and pretending to slap my face, she laughed. "Oh shut up. I'm gonna be an auntie tonight."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Serra

"Mother fucker," I grunted with my teeth clamped shut. This wasn't the plan. That's all I could keep thinking is that this wasn't part of the plan. I was going to have a nice, relaxing delivery. This is the exact opposite. I'm sweaty, I feel like I'm being ripped in half and honestly, this is worse than being tortured in Hell. I don't know how to do this.

I glanced up at Sam and gripped his hand as tightly as I could. "You're doing so well, baby," he was saying and I wanted to be nice to him, I really did. But I was in a lot of fucking pain.

"Shut up, Sam," I gasped, laying my head back on the pillows.

Sam laughed, which is why we're supposed to be together. He takes my shit and doesn't second-guess me. "This will be over soon and we'll finally get to meet him."

I clenched my teeth together as another contraction started, or didn't really end, I couldn't tell the difference anymore. I nodded and for the first time, I wanted to push. "Get Alana in here," I gasped. "I feel like it's too early to push, but I want to."

Grace opened the door and stuck her head in. "Are you pushing already?" she asked, obviously hearing my thoughts. "Want me to get Dr. Alana?"

Sammy nodded, eyeing Grace. "I think so."

The pain was something that I wasn't ready for. The urge to push was ridiculous, but it hurt too much to try. Grace told me with the twins that it was a relief to push…right now, it was worse. Something wasn't right.

Alana came in, then, pulling her gloves on and smiling at me. "You're whipping through labor, Serra. This is great. Not so bad, huh?"

"Fuck off, Alana."

She chuckled, knowing my personality, so I didn't feel badly about swearing at her. Sam continued to hold my hand, wanting to be as invisible as he could be. She leaned forward to check my progress and made a face. "What?" Sammy said, concerned at the look on her face. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing Serra can't handle," she answered, pulling off a glove and leaning back. "You're at ten centimeters, so you're ready to push, but the baby is breech. It's gonna be harder to get him out." She stood and opened the door, gathering nurses and getting ready for me to push. "You're gonna have to dig deep, Sere. He's folded in half, butt first. I can see him."

"Son of a mother fucking dick bastard," I said, pulling words out of my ass, just to make myself feel better. "Can't you turn him?"

Alana shook her head. "He's already down into the birth canal, Serra. There's no way." She glanced at the monitors and smiled, "But his heartbeat is steady, he's calm. Your blood pressure could stand to go down a bit, but all in all, you're primed and ready to deliver. It's just going to be harder because he's backwards. You're gonna have to work really hard to get him out."

I wanted to cry. Or scream. Or break something. Sammy looked like he wanted to cry, so I tried to smile at him reassuringly. "It'll be okay, Sammy," I found myself saying. "I can do this."

"I know you can," he replied, taking my hand from the bar on the bed. "You're the strongest person I know."

"Liar," I said, gritting my teeth as the next contraction came. "Oh, shit."

Alana sat on the stool at the end of the bed and looked up at me. "Alright Serra. Let's get this done. Ten second counts, take a breath and dig in again. Three sets of pushing each contraction. Ready?"

I nodded and Sam started counting. The pain was incredible.

…

Grace sat on the edge of the chair next to Dean with her head in her hands. Leaning forward, Dean had a hand on her back, rubbing it gently, trying to keep her calm. "She swears like a sailor," Grace said under her breath.

Smiling, Dean nodded. "One of her redeeming qualities," he said, looking sidelong at his wife.

"Shut up," Grace said, unable to hide her grin. "I have an urge to go in there to help, but I don't want to get in the way."

"She's okay, Gracie," Dean sighed, tossing his coffee cup in the trash next to him. "If she wants you to come in, she'll tell you."

"The baby is breech," she whispered, closing her eyes and listening to the conversation. "Serra is scared."

Dean shook his head and looked up at the delivery room. "What does that mean, breech?"

"It means he's upside down. Butt first."

Making a face, Dean turned to stare at Grace. "Oh my God. Can she push him out like that?"

Nodding, Grace sighed. "Yeah, she can, but there's no relief when she pushes, like I had with Everett and Glory. It felt good to push." She gestured to Serra, "When she pushes, it hurts more."

"Oh, I'll bet that's going over well."

…

"Oh my fucking _God,"_ I gasped as another contraction ended and I threw myself back, trying to rest as much as I could in between. "This hurts so fucking much."

Sammy remained silent, still rubbing my back and trying to be supportive. "I know, but you're making progress," he said, smiling. "Stuff is happening down there."

"Stuff besides trying to push a watermelon out a hole this big?" I shouted, holding up my hand. "Grace!" I yelled. "Grace, get in here."

A few seconds passed and my sister walked through the door, her face apologetic. "Make it stop," I said, close to tears as soon as I made eye contact with her, "I can't do this. Make the pain stop."

Sam moved to the other side of the bed as my sister stood next to me, feeling my forehead and smiling gently. "I can't, kiddo. This isn't something I can stop. It's natural."

"It hurts so much, Gracie."

"I know," she said, nodding, her eyes on the monitor behind me. "But it's an hour out of your life for a love that's bigger than all of us." She stared at me, her blue eyes pleading, "You need to pull your shit together. Contraction starts in four seconds. Push. Push harder than you think you can, and then push more."

Sam took my hand on my right side and Grace took my hand on my left and as the contraction took me, a calm came over me that I knew was Grace's influence, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I sat up to push. Somewhere deep in my brain, I could hear Grace's voice. "Ten, nine, eight, seven…" she was counting back, timing the push.

I gasped as she ended her count and took another breath as Sam's voice started again. "Ten, nine…" he was counting as I pushed, harder than I thought I ever could. Finally, there was some relief as I felt Levi finally break past the barrier. I finally made some progress as Sam ended his count.

I took another deep breath as Grace smiled at me. "One more time and I'll bet he's out," she said. I barely heard her. I shut my eyes and leaned forward as hard as I could, Sam moving with me as I brought my hands down to the bed rails.

"He's out!" Sam said, loud next to my face. "He's here, Serra, open your eyes."

Relief spread through me as I cautiously opened my eyes, looking for my son. Alana held him up, his body still covered in afterbirth, but I didn't care. He opened his mouth and began to wail, a pathetic sound that echoed through the delivery room. A nurse wrapped him in a light blanket and smiled up at Sam. "Do you want to cut the cord?" she asked him as he struggled to hold it together. Tears flooded his eyes as he glanced up at me, and then over at Grace. She nodded, reassuringly, and he took a step towards the baby.

I leaned my head back, still gasping for air and still in quite a bit of pain. I turned to stare at my sister and questioned, _Why does everything still hurt?_

"Because she had to cut you," Grace answered quietly, stroking my face. "She has to stitch you up."

I shook my head. All of that sounded truly awful. I didn't want to deal with anymore, so I shut my eyes, waiting for Sammy to get back to my hand after cutting the umbilical cord. Alana got my attention once more as a final contraction forced me to push again. "There, now you're done," she said, smiling. "They're getting him cleaned up and weigthing him."

Grace nodded at her and smiled down at me. "He's perfect, Lucky. You're a mom."

"Oh, shit," was all I could think to say.

Sammy came back, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "He looks just like Everett," he was saying, "more hair, same nose." Sam laughed. "We have a son," he said, kissing my forehead as Alana closed me up. "I can't believe he's finally here."

Grace was backing up out of the room, making a minute for Sam and me to have a moment together with our new son. I glanced up at her before she made it through the door and I smiled at her. _Thank you, big sister._

She grinned as she pushed through the door, back towards Dean.

I turned to Sam, who was grinning and crying, having only eyes for me. The nurse came closer from behind Sammy, holding Levi, wrapped in a blanket and a tiny hat. She laid him in my arms and I stared down at him, Sam getting as close to us as he could. He touched his cheek tenderly and kissed me on the head. "Hi, baby," I said, smiling. "I know you."

…

Grace sat next to Dean, her hand finding his as she closed her eyes and smiled. "Well?" he said, leaning forward, grinning.

"I'll let Sammy tell you," she replied, grinning. "He's coming."

The door flew open and Sam strode towards Dean as he stood to greet him. "Levi Adam," he declared proudly, "Eight pounds, one ounce! Fifteen and a half inches long." Sam opened his arms and Dean laughed, wrapping his baby brother in a hug, "He looks like Rhett."

Dean chuckled again, shaking his head, "No kidding," he said. "Congratulations, Sammy."

They all hugged again, Grace joining them.

…

Two days later, Serra and Levi were discharged from the hospital, happy and healthy and ready to start their lives at the Small House, riding home in the Tank. Afterall, both Serra's truck and Sam's El Camino only had a bench seat.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Dean

"Hey, it's Dean from Precision," I said as Roger answered the phone in Indianapolis. "Any news on the Wagoneer?"

"Hey, Deano," Roger answered. "Sorry, man. I haven't tracked one down yet. I've got a Blazer though. And a Bronco."

I shook my head. Serra would probably take the Blazer, but the idea of bringing a Ford home to Winchester Ranch rubbed me the wrong way. "Nah, keep looking for the Wagoneer. She'll just yell at me if I don't bring home what she wants."

"Will do," Roger said. "How's the Suburban?"

I smiled, "It's awesome." I pictured the three baby seats in the back with Grace driving. She looked like a bad ass in the lifted Chevy. She was still matte green, like when she came to us, but her motor was completely rebuilt and solid. "I think she's staying Army green."

Roger chuckled, "She looks good like that," he said. "It'll keep your babies safe, that's for sure. Thing's a tank."

A customer made the bell above the door jingle and I glanced up and smiled, holding up a finger. "You guessed her name," I said. "I gotta go, Rodge. Call me if you catch wind of the Wagoneer."

"No problem, Deano," he said, hanging up.

I hung up the phone and smiled at the woman standing in front of the counter. "Morning," I greeted. "What can I help you with?" Laying my hands on the counter, palms down, she eyed my wedding ring and made a face. _Typical_ , I thought, smiling internally.

"My dad has a 1966 Chevy Nova Wagon," she began, smiling flirtatiously, "and we wanted to get it fixed and painted."

"A Nova Wagon?" I repeated, getting out the pad of paper behind the counter, taking notes. "Sounds like a car that belongs in California."

She smiled broadly, slapping her hands together, "That's where we're from!" she exclaimed, a little too excitedly. "We just moved here from San Diego."

I couldn't help myself, "Why?"

She giggled, "My brother is in the Army and was transferred here. We tend to follow where he goes. We're kind of a close-knit family."

"I know the feeling," I said, smiling lightly.

She reached out to touch my hand and I eyed it, unmoving. "I do love a family man," she said.

I pulled my hand out from under hers and picked up my pen again, ready to write. "Alright, so when do you want to bring it in?" I asked, getting down to business and ignoring her advances. I glanced out the window and saw The Tank pull into the parking lot. Smiling I continued, "Hold on a sec, will you?"

The young woman watched, narrow-eyed, as I headed outside to my kids and Grace. I helped her load the twins into the stroller and carried Liberty inside. The young woman scowled at me as I held the door open for my family. I knew that Grace was planning on coming by with everyone for lunch, but her timing couldn't have been better. I smiled at the woman next to the counter and pointed to my bay. "Go ahead and get comfy, babe," I said. "I'll finish up here and grab Eric to cover the front so we can have burgers."

Grace stared at the woman as she walked by, giving her a wide berth and pushing the stroller back to the Buick I had on the lift. She threw me a look and I furrowed my eyebrows as her. She shook her head and walked towards the back without a word.

I turned back to my newest customer and smiled broadly. "Now, you wanna gimme some details and we can get this started?"

A few minutes later, I joined Grace on the floor of my bay like I had so many times before. "Hey, gorgeous," I said, dropping down beside her. Libby ran over to me and plopped into my lap, touching my face behind her, holding her arms up, and sending my brain pictures as she did so often now. I watched as my eldest daughter showed me Levi's face, drooling all over Serra's shoulder and Everett crying in his crib. She showed me the field with Johnny running through, sending birds into the air and the curve of Grace's hips as she ran back inside to see her.

Smiling as she brought her hands down into her own lap, I wrapped my arms around my daughter and then I stared at Grace as she turned to watch over her shoulder, listening. "What's up?" I asked, realizing that she didn't respond with her normal greeting when I sat next to her.

"That woman," she began, and I rolled my eyes, thinking that she was about to be jealous. "She wasn't human."

I choked on the soda I was pouring into my mouth, coughing and gagging as I struggled for breath. "What?" I finally managed. "What was she?"

Grace shrugged, turning back to Glory in the stroller, pouring tiny puffed snacks into the tray in front of her. "I don't know, but I couldn't hear her. She wasn't human."

It had been almost six months since the Glory and Everett had been born and we were deep into our rhythm of everyday life. I hadn't heard of something not being human in over two years, not since the vamps that attacked Grace and Serra. Bringing the girls home from Hell was the last time I even had my gun out, and that was almost a year ago as it was. Shaking my head, I stared at my wife. "What do you think she was?"

Grace shrugged as she handed some of the puffed snacks into Rhett's tray. "I don't know, babe," she said quietly, "but she wanted you."

I took a bite of the burger Grace handed me. "Yeah, I gathered that," I said, mouth full. "She kept touching me." I eyed my wife, who had the ability to know if something was dangerous or not purely on one interaction, but she didn't seem concerned, so I didn't press the matter. If the customer was someone I should be wary of, Grace would let me know.

We enjoyed each other's company for the next twenty minutes or so, talking and passing kids back and forth. My boss came in then, and seeing my kids lying on the floor of my bay, he chuckled. "Dean," he greeted me, "I would have never guessed you were such a family man."

"Hey, Doug," I said, looking up at him. I shrugged, "Can't help myself."

Doug chuckled, glancing at Liberty, inspecting a tire pressure gauge with intensity. "They're beautiful," he said, gesturing to the kids. "She's not so bad, either," he said, glancing at Grace.

I smiled, "Doug, this is my wife, Grace," I said. He extended his hand to Grace and she shook it, still sitting on the creeper with Everett on her lap.

"Nice to meet you, Grace. I've heard so much about you." Doug smiled and turned back to Dean. "When you've got a minute," he continued, "come on by my office."

I nodded at him, "Yeah, no problem," I said. "Gimmie about twenty more minutes."

"No rush," he said. "It was nice to meet you, Grace."

"You too," she said, allowing Everett to suck on her finger. Grace turned to stare at me and raise her eyebrows. "Do you know what he wants?" she asked, a grin spreading across her face.

"I'll bet you do," I said, taking a drink.

She leaned forward conspiratorially and lowered her voice to a whisper, "He's retiring, Dean. He wants you to buy him out!"

I stared at my wife, disbelieving. "What?" I said stupidly. "What about Eric?" I asked, thinking of Doug's son. Doug had chosen me to take House Manager over his own son about two years ago.

She was shaking her head, pulling the tire pressure gauge out of Liberty's mouth. "He doesn't even want him as house manager. He wants you to hire," she continued, still grinning. "Holy crap, Dean! He wants you to buy him out!"

I couldn't believe it. We would be business owners. I took Everett as he reached for me and then immediately let him go back to Grace as he changed his mind mid-pass, and allowed myself to consider the possibility of owning my own shop. _Can we even afford that? Can we afford to buy him out with you not working?_

"Hey," she said, shaking her head, "don't pin this on me. You wanted me to quit."

I nodded, smiling. "I know, but it's an honest question."

She shrugged, leaning against the Buick. "I'm sure the bank would finance us. We were able to put so much down on the Big House when we bought it; they've established a good line of credit for us. A business loan is something completely different. They'd give it to us."

I was already nodding, agreeing with Grace. "We should do it," I said, my eyes going wide. "This is the only other thing besides hunting that I'm good at. You could watch the accounting part, since me and math don't see eye to eye." She chuckled at that, and I continued. "And we'd be business owners." I paused, grinning, "Winchester Family Auto."

"The new family business?" she said smiling as she took a drink.

I shrugged, "I'd rather see Ev at the business end of a wrench than a sawed-off."

Grace laughed and nodded. "Oh, for sure. What about the girls?"

Leaning back and smiling, I glanced at my eldest daughter, picturing her in coveralls with grease on her face. "Ain't nothing better than a girl who knows her cars."

Winking at me, my wife grinned. "No, there ain't."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Serra

I am a mother.

It's still hard for me to believe, but when I look into that chubby little face, my chest fills with a pride that I've never felt before. I've been home with him for four and a half months, but my maternity leave from the hospital is almost out. I have to go back on Monday and I am dreading it.

As I feed Levi, I take the time to memorize his face. He has Sammy's dimples and my dark hair. His eyes haven't stopped changing color since he was born, but it seems that they're heading towards a dark hazel with green flecks, just like his father. I am floored that my darker eyes didn't translate, considering genetics tell me that brown is the dominant trait, but being able to see so much Winchester in Levi is comforting.

Grace tried to help as much as she could when it came to breastfeeding Levi, but honestly, I didn't have the patience for it. I did for about three months, but it is exhausting, time consuming, and painful. He was never a great latch, either, and just now are the scabs starting to heal.

Sammy is an amazing father, just like I knew he would be. He gets up at night with Levi, feeds him when he can, and changes his diaper every chance he gets. I think he still looks to Dean as a guide, knowing that if he emulates his big brother, he will be successful as a dad, and really, I'm grateful that he has someone like Dean to look to. Grace has trained him well.

My phone vibrated next to me and I flip it over, seeing Libby's face across my screen. "Hey, Gracie," I say, holding the phone in between my shoulder and my face. "How was lunch?"

"It was great," she said, breathless. "Libby, put that down. Walk away. Stop. Lib," she scolded, "hold on a sec," she directed at me. I waited, pulling Levi onto my shoulder and patted his back as he cooed into my shoulder. "Lib, stop. Leave her alone and go play over there." Grace sighed as she spoke into the phone to me again, "Sorry," she said. "Anyway, yeah, lunch was great. Doug is retiring."

"Retiring?" I asked, worried about my brother-in-law's job. "What's going to happen to the shop?"

Grace giggled slightly, barely able to keep it in. "He wants Dean to buy him out."

"Holy shit, Grace!" I yelled, not even getting a reaction from Levi. He was used to my outbursts already. "Are you guys going to do it?"

Grace nodded as she answered, "Yeah, he went to talk to him after I left this afternoon. Libby, stop. Give me the fork."

I laughed, listening to my sister scold my niece. "What is she doing?"

"Dean gave her one of those Army forks that's also a spoon? She's obsessed with it and keeps trying to poke Glory with it."

Shaking my head, I began my normal pace loop around the living room to get Levi to sleep. The kid loved to walk. "When does this all go down?"

"In two months. Dean and I need to go down to the bank next week to file for the loan, but then at the end of July, transfer papers will go into the Winchester name." Grace's attention strayed again as she walked around the bar to Liberty once more. "Liberty Adeline," she started, "leave her alone. Do you want to play with Play-Doh?"

I listened patiently and wondered silently how my sister would cope with Levi thrown into the mix next week. Everett was attached to her hip, never happy with anyone or anything besides Grace but luckily, Glory was happy with Dean or the floor. Liberty had started getting into everything…being two and a half was definitely adventurous. A few days ago, she had followed Johnny out the back door and into the wheat field between our houses alone. It had been a good five minutes before Grace realized that she was outside, mainly because she hadn't noticed a difference in hearing her thoughts. She could hear her and she was happy, but she was unattended, and it had sent Grace into a panic attack about keeping track of all three kids. Dean was calm and comforting, but it definitely left my sister shaken.

"So Dean will be owner and Eric is staying as Shift Supervisor, but he's going to hire out for House/Floor Manager. Eric can't handle something like that," Grace finished, sighing contentedly.

"That's so amazing, Gracie. Congratulations!" I said, climbing the steps to Levi's room to put him down. "Is Dean stoked?"

"Oh yeah, totally," Grace answered. I could her Liberty in the background, singing tonelessly about Play-doh. "You guys wanna come over for a celebration dinner? Dean's bringing home meatball sandwiches from Patsy's."

"Oh that sounds really good. I'll call Sam and tell him," I said, closing the door behind me after laying Levi down in his crib. "What time?"

"Whenever Sammy gets home and you feel like coming over," she said, sounding distracted.

I listened to the tone of my sister's voice and waited for more details, but nothing came. "You okay, Gracie?" I asked, silently walking back downstairs. When she didn't answer immediately, I asked again. "Grace?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, too quickly.

"Tell me," I said, ignoring her answer.

Grace took a deep breath, obviously doing a one-eighty in her thought process. I assumed that she was nervous about Dean taking on that much responsibility at the shop, but when she began to tell me the root of her shift in mood, I was apprehensive. "There was a woman today at the counter when I got there that I couldn't hear."

"What do you mean you couldn't hear her?"

"Her thoughts. I couldn't hear her thoughts," Grace said. "Libby, here. The rolling pin is right here. She was standing at the counter, talking to Dean, and her body language was all over him…she wanted him bad. But I couldn't hear what she was thinking."

I remained silent as Grace described what happened at the shop earlier and listened as concern crept into her voice. "What bothered you more: the fact that you couldn't hear her or that you didn't know exactly what impure thoughts she was having about your husband?"

She chuckled nervously. "The last time I couldn't hear someone, it was because they were vampires."

I grabbed a bag banana chips as I plopped into the squishy chair in the living room. Crunching away, I tilted my head, "Was she a vampire?" The silence from my sister's end of the phone concerned me slightly. "Grace, was she a vampire?" I asked a bit more forcefully.

"I don't think so," she said, "but I do think she was a monster."

…

Around 5:30 that evening, Sam, Levi, and I crossed the field over to the Big House for dinner. Johnny ran out ahead of us to meet Liberty as she stumbled down the back steps, landing in the dirt. Sammy trotted the rest of the way to help our niece up and to dust her off. "Hi, Lib!" he called. "What happened?"

"Fall down," Libby answered, rubbing her hands together. "Uncle Sammy kiss."

"Poor thing," he said, scooping her up and fixing her dress. "Let me see." Libby opened her hands to his face and he blew the dust off. He planted a kiss on each of her palms and one on her forehead. "There. No blood. You'll live!" She hugged him fiercely and he opened the door with the other hand, holding it for me and Levi.

Dean had Glory on his hip as we came through the door, and turning, he saw that Sammy was carrying Libby. "What happened, Meatloaf?"

"Libby falled," she said in her tiny, sweet voice. "Uncle Sammy kiss."

"Well, it's a good thing," Dean said, slapping his brother on the shoulder. "Uncle Sammy does everything right."

"Yeah he does," I said under my breath, grinning at him. He leaned over and kissed me as Dean handed him a beer. As we came up for air, I looked around. "Where's Grace?"

"Out on the porch," Dean said, offering me a beer. I took it and he continued, "Everett's eating again."

I shook my head. "That kid," I said as Sam put Libby down and took Levi from my arms. I left the boys, Glory and Lib in the kitchen and headed out to the front to see Grace. "Hey, sis," I greeted, letting the screen door slam behind me as I took the rocker next to hers. "Tonka Truck chow time?"

"Again? Still?" Grace chuckled and stared down at her son, "I can't tell the difference anymore."

I giggled and we sat silently for a bit, just looking out onto the farmland. Dean had finished the porch around the time Liberty was born, but Grace had recently added details like hanging pots filled with red, white, and blue flowers draping from the sides and American flag bunting around the rail, just in time for Independence Day. A screen had been added all the way around the porch as well, keeping the flying bugs at bay for the summer. I took mental notes for the smaller version over on our side of the property. It would be nice to escape the upstairs summer heat by hanging out on our front porch with Levi in the coming months. Glancing over at my sister, I could tell she wasn't in the moment: her thoughts were elsewhere and tilting my head; I finally spoke the questions she wasn't responding to in my mind.

"Are you still thinking about that woman from the shop?"

She nodded without making eye contact.

"Do you think we're in danger? Or anyone else from town?"

She shrugged and shook her head, still looking out onto the corn, three properties over.

"Have you figured out what she is?"

Everett had fallen asleep, still latched onto Grace. She pulled him away from her body, pulled her tank top back into place and left him, cradled in her lap. She finally looked at me, her blue eyes full of worry. "No," she said. "She could be anything, and she might not even be dangerous, but I don't like having her here."

The screen door slammed behind us, making me jump. Grace hadn't given any indication that the boys were coming out, but the lack of shock from her told me that she heard them coming. Dean walked to Grace's side and sat in the chair next to her, Libby close at his heels. Sammy leaned against the railing, still holding Levi against his chest. "Hi, baby girl," Grace greeted Libby as she twirled in front of her, making her watermelon-printed dress poof around her.

She leaned on Grace's lap and touched Everett's face. "Brudder sweeping," she said, looking up at Dean.

"Yeah, so leave him alone," he replied quietly. "Come talk to Morning Glory." Lib complied and Dean glanced at Grace then at me. "What's up, you two? Why are you being mysterious out here?"

I let Grace turn to him and answer, knowing that I really couldn't fix anything. I hadn't met the woman she kept referring to, so I had no real opinion of her, but knowing that Grace was so wary of her made me nervous. Grace took a deep breath and answered, "I'm just still thinking about that customer from the shop." Grace rubbed her shoulder against the back of the rocker. "That's all."

"You figure out what she is?" Sammy asked. I had filled him in on Grace's story when he got home from work this afternoon. He didn't seem concerned, but Sam was rarely concerned about anything these days. He took life a lot less seriously, ever since Cas and Grace dragged him back from Heaven. His main focus lately was Levi and me. I smiled at the thought. I liked it that way.

Grace shook her head, "No, but whatever. It's not like she's knocking down our door. We're not here to talk about her."

Sam smiled and raised his beer. "Yeah, we're here to celebrate my big brother." Dean grinned, leaning back casually in his rocker with Glory. She pulled on the leather bracelet he wore and looked up slightly when Sammy began to speak. "I'm really proud of you, man," he continued. "Living the dream."

"Hell yes we are," Dean said, lifting his bottle of beer. "We've got it all."

…

After we ate dinner, Grace went upstairs to put Liberty and Everett to bed. Glory was rocking it, still awake and happy on the rug with Levi. They lay on their bellies, watching the lights change patterns in a fake aquarium between them and I sat on the barstool next to Sam as the brothers were in deep conversation.

"You took the account?" Sam was saying as I joined them.

Dean shrugged, taking a swig of beer. "Well, I yeah, I mean, it's not like she had fangs showing." He set his empty bottle on the counter and turned to the fridge, getting out four more. "The only vibe I got from her was 'horny.'"

"Ew," I said, taking a drink of my fresh beer. "She hit on you?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, and threw daggers at Grace when I went out to help her unload the kids." He chuckled, "The look on that girl's face when I walked in with a wife and three littles."

Sammy chuckled as well, but I could see why Grace had an uneasy feeling. I was catching it, too. If Grace couldn't hear her, she would be a creature similar to a vampire, but she had no outward signs of being a monster at all. She could be a shape shifter, but something told me that Grace would be able to tell the difference. Glancing at the calendar behind Dean's head, I could see that the moon's cycle was still waxing towards its first quarter. That fact added evidence to the theory beginning in my head. I knew that a waxing moon meant mating season for one of my favorite monsters: werewolves.

Grace was coming down the stairs, nodding. "I was just thinking the same thing," she said to my thoughts.

"What?" Dean asked as he held out his arm for Grace to join him, "Lucky have a theory?"

We spoke in tandem, the way we used to before…everything. "Werewolves."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Dean

I really love watching my wife undress. The arch of her back, the curve of her hips…the way she glances at herself in the mirror. Her hair is long; the bleach blonde ends dance barely above the waistline of her jeans. She reaches up and pulls her hair into a ponytail at the top of her head and lets her jeans drop to the floor. From my position on the bed, pretending to read important paperwork from the shop about transferring my name to the deed, I continue to stare.

Grace has been hesitant to touch The Mark since discovering that her aging process has slowed. I haven't felt much of a difference, considering, but I think it's just being around her and having physical contact with her on a regular basis that keeps it in check. From the mirror, she noticed my stare and turned around, in nothing but her panties and bra. Smiling and walking closer to me, she climbed up onto the bed and straddled my legs, leaning towards me, and let her hair fall into my face. I tilted my head and smiled lightly at her; inhaling her sweet scent as she got closer, teasing. Leaning back and resting lightly on my thighs, she took the stack of paperwork from my hands and gently tossed it to the ground. "I was reading that," I said, staring into those baby blues.

"Not anymore," she replied. Slowly, she leaned in to kiss me, tender and loving. I can't help myself. I cupped her face with my hands and pulled her closer.

We spent a good five minutes making out on the bed, but then, as if he could sense me too close to his mother, Everett's voice came through the baby monitor, crying pathetically. "Oh come on," I said, as Grace broke contact. "Every time."

Grace chuckled and nodded. "He can probably hear you or something."

"What, like you? Another psychic in the house?"

"God, I hope not," Grace mumbled as she stood, intending to get Rhett. Waiting and listening, she paused at the foot of the bed and almost immediately, he settled down. I chuckled and rolled my eyes. She smiled lightly and mockingly made a big deal about coming closer to me again. As if on cue, Everett wailed again as she touched my shoulder. "Holy shit."

"Are you kidding? He's six months old! How can he be that sensitive already?"

Shaking her head, Grace backed away from me again and closed her eyes, concentrating. She waited until he had stopped fussing and moved closer to me once more, resting her hand on my shoulder and waiting. Nothing.

"What changed?" I asked, almost whispering.

She shook her head, still with her eyes closed. "I soothed him. I told him it was time to sleep and that we get some time together now. His turn with me is in the morning."

"You told him all that," I said, my voice full of sarcastic doubt.

She made a face and shrugged. "Whatever, he's not crying. Stop wasting time." I grinned, reaching out for her waist and pulling her down into my lap. She unbuttoned my shirt while we kissed, trying to pull it off without backing away. I managed to pull my arms out of the sleeves and take off my undershirt and we froze when we heard knocking coming from inside our bedroom.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked, backing away from Grace and glancing around.

She turned, listening, and smiled broadly. "It's Cas."

"Where?"

"I'm in the bathroom," Castiel's voice came from behind the semi-closed door. "I remembered this time: knocking. Doors. Privacy."

Sighing, I shook my head. Grace giggled and rolled off my lap, landing on her side of the bed and wrapping herself in her robe. "At least he's learning," she said, grinning at me.

"That might be," I began, pulling my shirt back over my head, "but at this point, I'm never gonna get laid again." She smiled broadly again and I rolled my eyes. "I'm glad you're so upbeat about the whole thing," I said under my breath. Cas knocked again from the bathroom. "What, Cas?"

The bathroom door opened and Cas walked into the room, stoic as ever. "If you fornicate tonight, Grace will get pregnant again."

I glanced at my wife and shook my head. "Don't touch me," I said, getting up from the bed. I walked over to the rocker in the corner of the room and plopped down into it, eyeing Grace. "How do you know that, Cas? You keeping her ovulation chart next to your bed?"

Cas tilted his head in the childlike way that he had mastered so many years ago and furrowed his eyebrows. "I have no bed."

Closing my eyes, I shook my head. "Forget it," I said, rubbing my face, "how do you know she'll get knocked up?"

Grace turned to stare at the angel. She had a look on her face that suggested that she already knew the information that she was hearing. Glancing at me, she lifted her eyebrows. "I could feel it too," she said quietly. "It's why I was looking in the mirror. I knew something happened, but I couldn't tell what."

They both looked at me then, and I was feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. I knew he was an angel and had no connection to the words that he was saying, but hearing him say things like 'fornicate' and 'pregnant' made me look at him differently. It's like he knew too much about my wife. Maybe more than me. Grace turned to stare at me and shook her head. "It's not that he knows more than you about me," she said, approaching me in the chair. "He just understands how the human side to my body works more than I do. I told him after Glory and Rhett were born to tell me if we were about to get pregnant again. I didn't know how else to avoid it."

"I've been paying attention to her body's cycle," he continued.

I held up my hands, palms out, and shook my head. "Stop. Stop." Cas stared at me, his eyes wide. "Look, I don't want to know. I don't need to know. Just do what you did: show up in our bedroom, kill the mood, and don't let her get knocked up again."

Cas seemed content with this and turned towards Grace. "You should probably restrain for the next three days or so."

"Let's give it four, just to be safe," Grace smiled as he walked out of the bedroom, towards the kids' rooms.

"Don't wake them up, man," I said under my breath. "For the love of God, stay out of Everett's room." Cas nodded as he continued down the hall to check on my babies. I stared at Grace and shook my head, pressing my lips together. "Well, that's the end of that."

Grace sat on the edge of the bed, smiling and tilting her head. "At least we won't have four."

"Yeah. You know, I've got a couple condoms in my drawer."

She made a face. "Do you really want to risk it?" Pursing my lips, I leaned forward, seriously considering it. "Go take a cold shower, Winchester," she said, letting her hair down and climbing into bed.

I sighed and got undressed. _Cold shower, it is._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Castiel

I have often wondered what it would be like to have offspring of my own, but I know that is an impossibility, being an Angel of the Lord. Lucia and I have gotten better at 'enjoying' ourselves in the 'bedroom,' but every so often, I wonder what could possibly come of our relationship, considering what we are. As it is, we are breaking many Heavenly Laws, 'sleeping' together, as the humans say. Which is a ridiculous term, considering very little sleep is usually involved.

I stood in the doorway of Liberty's room and listened to her breathe, deep in sleep. I could see the outlines of her face, her chubby cheeks and the ringlets in her blonde hair. She was quite beautiful, as far as children go, and I could see that she would have abilities very similar to her mother as she grew older. She was addicting to be around; her happiness flowed out of her and into others while she was awake. While she was sleeping, the serenity that she felt seeped through the halls and into her siblings as well. Grace and Dean's firstborn was a very talented creature, indeed.

Silently, I walked to Glory's room. She was harder to distinguish in the dim light, so I walked closer to her crib and leaned over slightly. The warm glow from her nightlight sent shadows of her silhouette across the wall. While Liberty resembled Grace very much with her high, arched eyebrows and full lips, I could see more Dean in Glory. Her hair was darker and the structure of her face was more defined. Glory and Liberty, both, had inherited their father's green eyes and dimple in their left cheek when they smiled. She was too young, still, to get an accurate read on what her abilities might be, but I could tell that her happiness would be contagious as well. Glory was the eternally happy twin, always in a good mood and eager to be around everyone in the family. I walked out of her room quietly and moved towards Everett's room.

Everyone, including Lucia, knew that the only person permitted to hold or feed Everett was Grace. Dean referred to him as a "Momma's Boy" but I knew it was deeper than that. Everett and Grace shared a bond that I think not even they understood, but it was closely related to Grace's dependence on The Mark of Cain. During their stint in Hell, Grace and Serendipity were tortured beyond reason, and I truly believe that Grace's recovery was to be credited to Everett's abilities. I hadn't yet told Dean, but I knew his son inherited many attributes from The Mark, one of them being a dependence on Grace. They would be linked for the entirety of their lives, and I hoped that somewhere, another nephilim would be produced to eventually find Dean's son.

I approached him slowly, hearing Dean's warning in my mind. _For the love of God, stay out of Everett's room._ I knew the infant would most likely not wake in my presence, so I ventured further into the dim. I stared momentarily, silently watching his chest raise and lower with each breath he took. The Winchester genes were strong in Everett. His hairline, eyebrows, and lips were Dean completely, expression finding his forehead even while he slept. He smiled in his sleep and I could see the telltale Winchester dimple in both cheeks as the smile faded again. I glanced around his room, having never really spent any time in his room and I smiled to myself as I saw small models of vintage cars lined up on his dresser and a framed magazine cover from 1967 of the original Chevy Impala that Dean valued so highly.

Turning back to Everett's crib, I tilted my head, shocked that I was seeing his bright blue eyes staring back at me. I smiled gently at him, willing him to stay quiet. Dean would be very angry with me if he figured out that I was the one to wake his son. Barely moving at all, I decided the best route would be to simply disappear as I had so many times before, heading straight back to Lucia.

Again alone in his room, Everett sucked on his fingers, looking around for Castiel. He rubbed his face slightly and made a face, deciding to look for Grace instead. Not seeing her in the immediately vicinity, he took a deep breath, ready to call his mother. He yawned instead, sleep taking him once more.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Sam

Dean is right a lot. I can't stand that I am even thinking it, considering that Grace will probably hear me and then tell him I thought it, but I don't care anymore. I have a son and the love and dedication I feel towards him and his mother are almost more than my body can take. I watch Serra walk Levi around the living room after we got home from dinner at Dean and Grace's and all I can think about is how much I love them. It's one of the first things Dean told me about becoming a father: your entire universe shifts. I know how much he was in love with Grace, but knowing that Liberty (and now Everett and Glory) out-rank her in his priorities was something that I had a hard time believing.

Until now.

I love Serendipity. I would die for her in an instant if it meant keeping her safe, but now that Levi is around? Dying doesn't seem like it would be enough. He has become my focus and seeing that he is such a mix of Serra and my features is enough to make the strongest man crumble.

Serra is a natural, of course, and as she made another lap close to me, I caught a glimpse of my sleeping son. Pulling her down next to me, I touch his head gently and sigh. Looking up at me, Serra grinned. "He's asleep. Now we can put him down and practice making them again."

I laughed, staring into my wife's chestnut eyes. "Practice is good."

"Hell yes it is," she whispered as Levi's tiny, chubby fists unfurled, hearing his mother's voice. "I'll be right back."

She got up from the couch and sauntered away in only her tank top and underwear, as per usual in the house. I glanced towards the front door and chuckled to myself, seeing her pile of clothes near the entrance. Standing, I walked towards the pile and picked up her jeans and flannel to toss them into the laundry room. I glanced outside as I bent down and took a double take, swearing I could see eyes staring back at me from the road.

The sheer curtains that were covering the skinny cut-glass windows on the sides of our front door had the ability to refract light in ways that played with your eyes. I pulled back the edge of the fabric to stare outside, looking for the eyes that had glowed in the night. Or so I thought. I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary and Johnny hadn't moved from his place on his dog bed, so I figured I was seeing things. It was probably the fourth or fifth beer I drank that night, celebrating Dean's new shop.

Shaking my head, I let go of the curtain and turned the dead bolt on the door and slid the chain into place. I shrugged to myself and tossed Serra's clothes into the mudroom as I jogged upstairs.

Levi's door was closed already, so I turned right at the top of the steps to head into our master suite. Serra was standing in the doorway, light shining from behind her so it accentuated her curves. She smiled as she made eye contact with me, letting her hair down from the ponytail that had been at the top of her head. Slowly, I walked towards her, the glowing eyes from downstairs completely forgotten as I wrapped myself around my wife.

I picked her up from the ground as I kissed her, plopping her on the bed and I shrugged out of my flannel and jeans. She was pulling off my undershirt as I tugged at her bra, her hair tangling around my fingers and making it almost impossible to undo the clasp. "Fired," she said under her breath as she batted my hands away.

I pushed her down onto the bed, harder than I meant to, but that was just our style. She giggled as she bounced and I joined her in the middle.

There is nothing sexier than making love to the woman that bore your child. I loved the way Levi had changed Serra's body; her hips were rounder, more mature and I couldn't even begin to tell you how much I loved that she had attempted breastfeeding. She told me about two weeks ago that she had gone up a solid cup size…and I enjoyed every bit.

Holding her arms against the bed as I kissed her, she giggled as my hair tickled her neck. She rolled me suddenly, pinning me down and straddling my waist. I always forget how strong she is, considering she's so much smaller than me. Pushing herself down onto me, we found a rhythm and I gasped as she bit down on my ear, just hard enough to get a reaction. I sat up and wrapped my arms around her delicate frame and together, we made love into the night.

Hours later, I heard Johnny come trotting up the steps to conduct his two-in-the-morning ritual of checking on everyone in the house. I could feel his tail thump the bed a few times as he smelled Serra and then lay on the bed we had for him in our room. I listened to Serra breathe and the creaks in our old house. If Johnny was content that everyone was safe, then so was I. Closing my eyes, I was about to let sleep take me once again, but then, I could hear the faintest of growls from our black lab. Slowly, I sat up, listening for what he might be hearing. His hearing was much better than mine and I couldn't distinguish anything different, so I stood and padded to the window that faced the road I had looked out on hours before. There they were again; the glow from eyes that I assumed was from an animal of some sort. I hadn't hallucinated or been too drunk to tell the difference. There they were. My breath caught in my throat as I stared, waiting for the animal to move in the glow from the night sky. Standing there, at our window in the second story, I realized it was listening, too. It turned suddenly and we made eye contact, and I knew, deep in my belly, that it was no animal.

It was a werewolf.


	21. Chapter 21

*Hi guys! Thanks so much for sticking with me! Things are are starting to pick up. I'd love for you to leave a review or two; I'd love to know what you think! Thanks so much! Enjoy!*

...

Chapter 21

Dean

Rolling over in bed, I could hear my phone vibrating, but it wasn't on my nightstand where it always was when we slept. I sat up in bed and glancing at the clock, I saw that it was late. Two-eighteen was too late for a run-of-the-mill phone call. Tripping slightly, getting out of bed to check the pockets of my jeans, I finally found my phone. Whispering, I answered it, trying my hardest not to wake Grace or the kids.

"Are you okay?" I breathed, answering Sammy's phone call.

He whispered as well, obviously unwilling to wake his household, "For now, but I just saw a fucking werewolf on our road."

"What?" I almost shouted, turning away from Grace. "When?"

"Just now," he said, still forcing his voice to whisper.

I jumped to our window that faced the barn and the field, with Sammy and Serra's house peeking out behind the tree line. I stared into the night, willing my eyes to focus and see beyond what was in my range. It was impossible, but I watched for movement anyway. "You know it was a werewolf?"

Sammy agreed, "Yeah. For sure."

I started pulling on my jeans, the phone pressed between my shoulder and my ear. I glanced at Grace, who still snored lightly. "You still got eyes on it?"

"No," Sam was saying as his breath echoed into the phone's speaker. He was running downstairs. "We made eye contact and it took off into a field."

As I did the same, I trotted into the kitchen and glanced at the calendar over the coffee pot. "Sammy, it's not a full moon," I said, confusion hitting me. "Maybe it was a coyote or something."

"Dean, I swear to God," Sam said, his voice reaching full volume as he dug through something, obviously now downstairs. "I think I know what a werewolf looks like."

I shook my head, dropping to my knee as I opened the gun safe in the floor of the dining room. I got the combination wrong the first two times and out of frustration, I slammed my hand down on the hardwood. I was out of practice. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down to get the combo right the third time. "I realize that, asshat, but how can it be shifted if it's not a full moon?"

He shook his head, "I don't know, Dean, but I'm telling you, I know what I saw."

Finally, I was able to pull the door open of the floor safe and I grabbed my favorite pearl handled .45 that matched Grace's gun. Grabbing a clip, I loaded the weapon and turned off the safety, standing in front of the sliding glass door and staring out into the night. "You have any silver bullets left?"

Sam continued to glare towards the field that he saw the monster disappear into and shook his head. "No, I thought you had a few left in the Impala."

"We haven't needed them since the rougarou when we met the girls," I said, fingering my gun. "I think we used the last of them that night."

"Great," Sammy said quietly. Moments passed silently as both of us were on alert. Finally, Sam took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. "I guess this confirms that the woman from the shop is a werewolf."

"Awesome," I said, shaking my head. "Which means there are more."

The sun took forever to rise that morning as I sat on the chair, staring out into our field. I could hear Glory start to cry, waking Grace and Liberty. Unwilling to relinquish my post until the dawn, I let Grace take the girls back to bed with her. About an hour later, Everett got jealous and joined the group in our bed. Satisfied that the morning had come, finally, I stood and stretched, putting the safety back on my gun and using my foot to close the floor safe. It shut with a satisfying "thunk" and I spun the knob with my toes. Padding though the kitchen, I stashed my gun on top of the refrigerator, out of reach from tiny hands, and walked back up the steps to Grace and the kids.

She was feeding both of the twins at the same time (trippy as hell, let me tell you) and Lib was asleep on my pillow, drool pooling around her chubby cheek. Glancing up at me, she smiled lightly and whispered, "Hey stranger. How long have you been up?"

I kissed her and sat in the chair by the window. I was unwilling to tell her exactly what went down while she slept, but I knew she would just push into my mind to find out the truth if I didn't. I sighed at rubbed my face, still foggy from the long night. "Sammy saw a werewolf last night," I said quietly.

"What?" Grace whispered, "where?"

I gestured to the open window as summer breeze flowed through. "On the road in front of The Small House," I said, sighing. "You were right. She's a monster."

"You think it was the woman from the shop?"

I shrugged. "Who else could it be? Unless it was one of her family. Remember, she mentioned that they move around a lot because her 'brother' is in the 'Army'?" I said, using my fingers as air quotes. "There's probably an entire pack."

"But it's not a full moon," Grace said, furrowing her eyebrows. "How can they be shifted if it's not a full moon?"

Shaking my head, I shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe some hybrid we haven't heard of yet? We've been out of the game for three years, Gracie. Things could have changed." I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. Staying up from two in the morning on was harder than it used to be. I was getting old. "I don't even have any silver ammo left. I think we used it all on the rougarou back in the day."

"Great," she said, looking down at the twins as they suckled.

Liberty stirred then, rolling her head and opening her big green eyes to stare at me. Her hair was a shambles; curls were stuck to her face with drool and she attempted to push the blonde from her mouth. "Hey, Meatloaf," I whispered. "You're a thief. You stole my spot."

She grinned at me, bouncing her way down the bed. "Feef!" she cried gleefully as she bounced towards me. I held out my arms and allowed her to jump into my arms. I caught her and she wrapped her little arms around my neck.

Glancing back at Grace, I lifted my eyebrows at her. _Werewolves go after kids first._

"I know," she answered my thought.

 _She saw you guys come to the shop._

Nodding, she repeated herself. "I know."

I took a deep breath and stared at my eldest daughter, lying in my arms. Flicking my eyes back towards my wife, I pressed my lips together tightly. _I guess we're going hunting. We've got work to do._

 _…_

Grace was safe in the bunker with the kids as I left for the shop. Sammy called in to work that day to stay on the property to keep an eye on everyone and my plan was to follow up with the woman and the Nova Wagon. Walking into the shop, I flipped on the lights and glanced towards my bay. Nothing looked out of order, so I continued my routine of opening the shop.

Doug came in about fifteen minutes later, carrying a stack of paperwork and setting it on top of the counter. "Hey, Deano," Doug greeted me as he walked past. "Loan cleared. Sign all this and she'll be yours by the end of the month."

I grinned, walking towards him and extending my hand, "Hey, man. Thanks."

"No, thank _you_ ," Doug said, shaking my hand. "I'm glad this all will be in capable hands." He paused, putting his hands in his pockets and stared at me as I flipped through the books. "My daughter says you and your family are some of the best people she's ever met."

I turned back to Doug and furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Your daughter?" I asked, confused. "Who is your daughter?"

Smiling, Doug answered, "Alana." He was positively bursting with pride. "Best doctor this side of the Mississippi."

I tilted my head and smiled, recognition hitting me. I had never put it together before, but they did share a last name and had quite a few facial similarities. Realizing that we had told Alana everything there was to know about us and what we were, I eyed him carefully, wondering if Alana had passed on the information. He smiled at me, handing me a pen. If he knew, he didn't look like he did.

I smiled and took the pen and I started signing away.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Serra

Sam spent the morning telling me that there was a fucking werewolf on our property last night and he didn't even have the decency to wake me up. I could have taken it out from the window, but now, the fucker was running around, unchecked, where my family lived. I was pissed at him.

"I can't believe you didn't wake me up," I repeated, still bitter. I poured myself a cup of coffee as Sam ran his hand through his hair again.

"Serra, you don't have any silver bullets. All you would have done is piss it off."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Of course I have silver bullets," I said, putting my hands on my hips. "What kind of hunters do you think we were?"

Turning away from me, Sam rolled his eyes and walked towards Levi, who had started fussing from his place on his blanket in the middle of the living room carpet. "We need to figure out some stuff first, Serra. We can't just start taking shit out from our window." I sighed at him and turned away, looking out the window at the road in front of our house. He continued to my back, not quite scolding, but definitely having an edge to his voice. "We need to figure out who it is, where they're from, how many are in the pack and where the pack lives. We start taking them out without doing the research, we're gonna end up with a whole bunch of pissed off werewolves on our hands."

I mocked him from my place in front of the sink, making faces and rolling my eyes. When I turned around, I was composed, but still upset. "Fine, but when we get all that figured out, we're going hunting together."

"Serra—"

"Are you kidding me? I haven't been on a hunt since the rougarou. The vampires were exciting, but that was two years ago. I'm _bored._ " I set my mug on the counter next to my matching set of silver on black Colt 1911s. I couldn't find the clip of silver bullets I knew I had somewhere, but I knew it was either with me or Grace, but considering we had moved twice in the last three years, it could be anywhere.

Sam came closer and put his hands on the countertop. "You are a mother now, Serra. You aren't the same person you were three years ago. I can't have you going after a werewolf. What if something happened?"

"Then Grace fixes me and we move on with our lives."

Shaking his head, Sam was ready to argue with me again. "You can't use Grace as a reset button, Serra! Someday, there might be something that Grace can't fix!"

Leaning forward on the countertop, I raised my eyebrows, speaking quietly. "Then she and Cas can come and drag my ass home, just like they did for you."

I knew as soon as I said it, I had crossed some invisible line. Sam looked as if I had physically slapped him across the face. He backed away from me and turned towards Levi again. After a minute or two, he spoke quietly. "Levi and you are the only things that matter to me, Serra. You can't expect me to support you running off after monsters anymore. I get it—domestication has been hard for you, but you and Grace agreed years ago that you were out of the game."

"Only because she made me."

"So you regret this?" he asked, spreading his hands as he turned back towards me. "You regret getting married and settling down? Having Levi?"

"Shut up, you know I don't." I said, irritated.

He tilted his head as he continued, "Well, you can't have it both ways, Serra. You can't be a hunter and a mother."

I picked up my guns and headed towards the back door. "Watch me," I said, letting the door slam behind me.

He let me go and I knew he thought he was just letting me cool down, but really, it just pissed me off more that he didn't follow me out into the wheat. I put one of my guns into the waistband of my jeans and bent to pick up the cans that were scattered around the logs from the winter and spring target practice from when maternity leave started. There were bullet holes in each of the cans I picked up and I flashed to bundling up in the snow while Levi slept with the twins at naptime and I came out to shoot. The first time I fired, Dean and Sam came running out of the Big House, fearing the worst, but I laughed when they came out to me holding my gun, aiming at the cans filled with water. Dean had doubled over in laughter, then, but Sam was upset that I hadn't been tamed. Or at least that's the way it felt.

We hadn't brought it up again, but I knew it was on his mind often. Grace had let it slip a few times that he thought of me as wild and unpredictable. I secretly enjoyed having that sort of title in my husband's mind, but at the same time, I was angry that he thought he could change me.

I loaded a clip into my gun and flicked off the safety. Doing the same for the second gun in my jeans, I raised my pistols and aimed. In rapid succession, I upended all ten of the cans with five shots from each gun in tandem. Smiling lightly to myself, I nodded in approval. I hadn't lost my touch.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Grace standing on her back porch, arms crossed, watching me. Walking the thirty yards back to the logs and cans, I stacked them up again, spreading them out a bit more and adding two more cans that I found in the dirt.

 _He's right, you know._

Hearing my sister's voice in my head got annoying every once and awhile. Ever since realizing that she could push thoughts into my mind from a distance, she always had to throw in her opinion, regardless of my feelings. Obviously, she had been listening to our argument from the kitchen, which made me wonder about her range. How far would I have to go to lose her?

 _Farther than you're willing to go._

"Oh ha, ha," I said aloud. I turned away from the cans and began my trek back towards the barn, almost fifty yards away. As I approached it, nesting birds scattered from the rafters and I hesitated, watching them take flight. I closed my eyes as the sound of flapping wings grew faint and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. Without opening my eyes, I turned back towards the cans and aimed. I opened my eyes to check my aim and I wasn't disappointed. In rapid succession, I unleashed six more shots from each gun and toppled twelve cans, starting from the outside edges and working my way in.

I smiled again, happy with my work. Grace still watched from the porch and I glared at her. _You should be thanking me. I'm the one who taught you to shoot._

I shook my head, annoyed. "Yeah, you taught me how to assemble and dismantle. You taught me to clean them. You taught me to set the safety and pull the trigger." I gestured to the cans, now on the ground, lost in the wheat. "But you can't teach that kind of talent. That shit is natural."

 _Right,_ she thought at me, her internal voice dripping with cynicism. _I forgot. You can do everything yourself._

"Oh, shut up, Grace," I said, stuffing my left 1911 into my jeans again, heading back towards the cans. I held my right pistol and fiddled with the grip as I struggled to keep my cool. "You're always so high and mighty, making the 'responsible' choices, but let me tell you something, big sister. You were just like me, once." I approached the cans on the ground and shook my head. "You and I were free. We went where we wanted and did what we pleased."

I could tell she didn't approve of my thought process, but at the same time, she seemed to understand where I was coming from. _I know, and I miss it too, sometimes, but what we have is so much better than what we had. Sammy loves you, and now you have Levi. We can't just drop everything anymore to go after a monster._

"Don't you want to?" I asked, glancing up at her.

 _Not really. I never wanted to be a hunter. I just was because we were good at it and it's what you wanted to do._

I pursed my lips and nodded. She was right, we were good. Fighting in Hell together had proven that. "What about the werewolf, Grace? You really wanna leave that alone to do 'research'? What happens when it comes back and you're home with the kids?" I shook my head and went back to stacking cans. "What happens if we're all at work, in the grip of routine and you've got four kids to contend with, along with a werewolf?"

 _We stick it out in the panic room and wait for the cavalry._

Walking away, back towards the barn, I couldn't help myself. "What the hell happened to you, Grace?" I turned to face her, almost one hundred yards away, my hand on my hip with my gun hanging at my side.

 _I became a mother._

Without aiming, I whipped towards the cans and unloaded the rest of my clips into the cans, knocking them into the air, single file, from left to right. As the cans settled into the grass again, I saw that I had missed one, dead center. It stood on its own, mocking me from the stump. I raised my left hand, intending to drop it with one final shot, but my gun clicked with finality. I was out.

Turning to stare at my sister, I sighed, defeated. "Then why don't I feel the same way?"

 _Because you're Serendipity. Not Grace._

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

 _No, but it's supposed to explain that we're two very different people. You are overly protective and sometimes too dedicated and a little crazy._

"Hey!"

 _But it's what makes you, you, Lucky. I wouldn't have it any other way. You are so much like Dean; it's a little scary. Domesticated, sure, but when you hear that call, you wanna hit the door running._

I nodded to myself and turned towards the Small House, seeing Sam's face in the living room window. "I find it strange that you're so attracted to someone so much like your sister."

 _Don't say it like that. It creeps me out._

"You said it first," I said, popping the empty clips out of my guns and shoving them into my pockets. "How mad is Sam?"

She hesitated before answering me, which worried me slightly. _He's not mad; he's worried, and really impressed with your aim._

I smiled at that and nodded. "He'd better be. I'm fucking amazing."

 _Shut up,_ she thought, laughing.

I laughed too, glancing back up at my half-angel sister, realizing that we had an entire argument and resolution telepathically. "We can do some pretty crazy shit, Gracie."

She agreed with me, leaning against the doorframe. _Of course we can. We're the Winchesters._

"I love you, big sister."

 _I love you back._

Turning on my booted heel, I trudged back into the house and stood in the dining room, waiting for Sam to release his breath in the puff of air that I was so used to hearing. He turned to face me, holding our son on his hip and lifted his eyebrows expectantly.

"Oh, shut up," I said, striding over to him and hugging him. He chuckled as he embraced me with his free arm and Levi blew raspberries into my hair.

"I wish I could have seen you in your hunting days," Sammy said quietly. "Something tells me you were hell to contend with."

I smiled and tilted my head. "Obviously," I muttered into his shoulder.

He pulled back slightly and gestured toward the Big House with his head. "You and Grace have a good talk?"

"Was it that obvious?"

He laughed as he pulled Levi's fist from my hair. "Considering it looked like you were talking to yourself, yes." He watched me head to the fridge and pull out two beers. "Grace had a lot to say."

I knew he was feeling me out, wondering if Grace had been able to convince me to chill and wait out the hunt until we knew more details. I smiled over my shoulder at him as I grabbed the bottle opener from the drawer and slid the bottle across the counter to him. "Yeah, she did."

"Cut to the chase, Serra."

I rolled my eyes. "Long story short? I'll wait it out, but when the time comes, I'm still locked and loaded, ready to defend this family."

Sam nodded slowly, knowing that was as good as he would get from me. "And Levi?"

"Grace will take him while we hunt."

"What happens if Dean wants to take Grace?" Sam took a deep breath, turning to face me completely. "She's handy in a fight."

"So we call Jody. Or Cas." I paused and took a deep breath. "Or both, considering there are four of them."

Sam shook his head slowly, disapproval rolling through his body. I knew then and there that if it came down to a hunt, he would tell me after the fact that he and Dean had gone without me and Grace, calling us from the road, to make sure that we were safe with the kids. I realized that he would never purposefully include me in a hunt again, and I both hated and loved him for it. Right now, more hated than loved, but I'm sure the time would come that I would appreciate the gesture.

Silently, knowing she was listening, I told Grace that if we saw the opportunity to take the werewolves out, we should jump on it. I was surprised when I didn't hear back from her. I didn't get the chance to hear her overwhelming disapproval.

…

"They're hunters. I knew they were," Cecelia snarled as she burst through the house. "Why would you choose to move _into a town_ where hunters are _married to each other._ "

Cade shook his head, "I didn't know they were fucking married. I heard that the Winchester brothers were here and I've wanted a bite of them for the past eight years or so."

"We all did," Cecelia said, still pacing around the room. "But they're married to other hunters? The women are hunters, too?"

"Who are they?" Cade asked, watching his sister pace around the room furiously.

Cecelia shook her head. "I don't know the women. When I was in the shop, the older brother's wife and…kids came." She turned back to her family and rolled her head back and forth to release the tension that had gathered at her neck since they arrived in this god-forsaken little corn town. "There are three." She smiled evilly. "Kids are so much more tender than adults."

Dylan spoke for the first time. Cecelia stared at her youngest brother and tilted her head, listening. "Just because they're hunters doesn't mean that they'll be able to fight us off. The women are probably out of practice, anyway." He paused and smiled at his sister. "Motherhood makes you soft."

Cecelia handed Dylan her phone and raised her eyebrows. "Then if we're going to do this, take on the Winchesters and their hunter wives, we need the whole family." She paused and took a breath, running her long-nailed fingers through her hair. "Call the cousins. Get them out here, too."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Dean

I set the pen down and smiled to myself. Doug walked into my bay and clapped me on the back, chuckling. "Can you believe it, Dean? You're a body shop owner."

"Not yet," I said, rubbing my neck. "All this shit has to clear first."

Doug stacked the pages of the escrow contract and the transfer deed. He glanced up at me and smiled. "I wouldn't worry, son," he said, still smiling. "Everything on my end is done. We're just waiting on the bank at this point. Just gotta jump through the required hoops."

Nodding, I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I couldn't wait to tell Grace, but really, she probably already knew. She had a habit of knowing my stories before I got home. She had mastered telepathically conversing with Serra, a two way street, mind you, but my mind was harder to access, apparently. She could communicate with me when she made physical contact with me, but I couldn't hear her when we were separated. I guess the blood bond was strong with her sister.

Gesturing towards the Nova wagon that now occupied my bay, Doug smiled. "She's a beauty, ain't she? Or at least she will be when you're done with her. California girl."

I glanced at the rusty wagon on the lift only feet from me. Shrugging, I said, "Yeah, I guess. Not really my style."

"The car or the girl?" He waggled his eyebrows in a skuzzy way.

"Both," I said. "I've only got eyes for my one and only, Dougie."

Doug chuckled again, nodding. "A good man." Taking his stack of papers back to his office, he shouted over his shoulder. "Gracie would be proud of you, Winchester."

Watching him walk away, I nodded to myself, "She is." I pulled my phone out of my jeans and dialed Grace. I couldn't wait to tell her. The phone rang a couple of times and drummed the pen on the hood of the wagon while I waited. In the back of my mind, I knew that the werewolf family was attached to this car, but I had no idea how to approach the hunt while still staying legit. Not only did I have a family to protect, but now I had a shop, too.

"Hey, stranger," she greeted, her voice low and sweet.

I couldn't help smiling, "Hi, gorgeous." I glanced back at Doug's office, making sure he was out of earshot. "Did you hear?"

"That you're not into California girls?"

"That we're body shop owners."

She giggled into the speaker. "I did. It's hard to tune you out when you're this happy."

Somewhere in the background, one of my kids cried pathetically. One guess told me that it was Rhett. "What, did you set him down for thirty seconds?"

Grace sighed melodramatically. "Yes. God forbid." She giggled again, "Lib wanted a PBJ and I hate that freaking baby carrier. I refuse to be a kangaroo." Everett continued to wail in the background as Grace spoke. "You are _fine_ ," she said, aiming her dialogue at our son. He only cried louder.

"Any news on the wolf?" I asked, turning my attention back towards serious business. "I talked to Sammy earlier. He and Serra had a fight?"

"Yeah," Grace said, obviously getting closer to Everett; he was getting consistently louder. "She wants to hunt, but Sam is worried about her and Levi…he still thinks she's too wild."

"Dude, that's why he _married_ her. He freaking loves that." I shook my head. "Sam is being stupid."

Grace, I knew, was nodding in agreement. "You know that. I know that," she was saying as Everett nuzzled into the same shoulder where she held the phone. "Serra is just put off by it. She spent the afternoon shooting cans off the stumps in the field with her .45s."

I chuckled; picturing Serra take out her frustrations on the innocent beer and soda cans in our field. "Are you okay, still? I'm gonna switch the Nova out for the Chevelle and try to finish her body up tonight." Grace's Chevelle had been in my shop for the last six months, trying to get her back to the condition that she was in before the girls were kidnapped and taken to The Pit. It had crushed me when the tow truck had finally righted Smoke; her roof pillars were collapsed and everything except the passenger door had been crushed. It had taken a lot of work, past my clock out time, to get her even close to factory again.

"We're fine," Grace replied. "Serra said that she has silver bullets, but she doesn't know where they are."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, a lot of good that does."

"I know," she said, "they're rattling around in her subconscious somewhere. I'll find them." She laughed and talked directly to Rhett, now obviously in her arms. "Daddy's gonna finish Momma's car! You can't ride in it, you're too little."

I chuckled to myself and shook my head. "I'll see you tonight, hon."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

…

Turns out, I didn't finish Smoke's body that night. I ended up taking the driver's side door off to pound the steel again, not satisfied with its shape. When I finally re-hung the door on her hinges, the edges were once again straight and crisp. I took the sander to her once more, making sure to get the lumps as smooth as I could, once I filled the divots with Bondo. Standing back to stare at my handy work, I glanced at the clock and swore under my breath. Grace had been alone with the kids since eight that morning. It was creeping up on ten-thirty. Wiping my hands, I grabbed my keys and my phone from my locker, put my .45 in the waistband of my jeans and flipped the lights off, heading to Baby.

Reaching up to pull the roll-top door down and lock it, I glanced around out of habit as I headed towards my car in the darkness. I could feel eyes on me, but I had no fucking idea what was lurking in the night. I pulled my gun, feeling rusty, and listened.

They always say it's like riding a bike; it'll come back to you when you want it to. That phrase is one hundred percent true. I could feel myself fall back into my old habits, flicking the safety off, making sure my gun was loaded. I moved silently, my boots barely made contact with the road. Reaching my Impala, I stood, back to steel and waited for the inevitable. It never came.

I knew it was watching me, though. I could feel its eyes follow my every move. My hands tingled with anticipation and The Mark seemed to catch wind that we were back in fight mode as well. I could feel the heat reach my fingertips as I reached for the door handle.

"Not tonight, huh?" I asked the trees, gently swaying in the breeze. I listened again, but to no avail. If anything was going to attack me, it would have happened already, and I was already in my car. "Next time, then." I slammed the door and started her up, peeling out of the parking lot, leaving glowing red eyes behind me in the black.

…

For four days, I worked mercilessly on Smoke on the Water, wanting to get her put back together for Grace's birthday. Doug understood, allowing me to use the paint stall for her primer coat after I finished sanding, forgetting about the Buick and the Nova wagon I had waiting. Night after night, I worked well past closing hours, knowing that Grace was home and safe with the kids and Sam and Serra checked in on them regularly.

My nephew Levi joined the chaos a few days ago; spending his days with Grace, Liberty, Glory and Everett while Serra went back to work. He was a quiet baby, easy-going and observant, happy to lay with Glory on the floor and play while Rhett was carried around for hours on end. He seemed to take his mood directly from Grace: when she was happy, Everett was all smiles. When Grace was upset or frustrated about something, Everett made sure to let everyone know about it. As time moved on with him, I wondered more and more if he had picked up more of my tendencies than the girls did; The Mark included. I got the feeling that he wasn't just a Momma's Boy; he was actually addicted to Grace.

She hadn't touched The Mark of Cain in months. I knew it was her fear of agelessness that kept her at bay, but more and more I wondered if Rhett was doing the same thing I had been. If he had the genetic clone of The Mark, then it would affect Grace in a lot of the same ways…one of them being still not aging.

I hadn't brought the possibility up with Grace yet, but if she was listening, she already knew.

It was well past closing time and again; I was in the shop, closely examining the final base of clear coat I had thrown on Smoke that morning. Once again, she was stunning. The purple metal flake I had chosen the first time I reconditioned her wasn't in stock anymore, so I went with a deeper shade, no metal flake, but I had included her stock black racing stripes this time. Smoke on the Water, version two, was finally complete.

I stood back to admire my handy work with my hands in my pockets. I tilted my head, smiling lightly. I had made the deadline: Grace's birthday was tomorrow and I had finished.

"Oh, Dean," her voice echoed through the empty bay and made me jump about a mile. "She's beautiful."

"Jesus fucking Christ, Grace," I breathed, my heart in my throat.

She giggled as I doubled over, trying to catch my breath. "Pay better attention," she said, still laughing. "You're a hunter, for God-sakes."

"Not anymore. I've gone soft," I replied, walking towards my wife. She was in simple jeans, sandals, and a white, low-necked tee shirt, which made her even more gorgeous. "What are you doing here?" I asked, hugging her with one arm around her waist and leaning down to kiss her, "Where are the kids?"

"Sam and Serra are with all of them, getting a taste of my average day." She glanced at the watch on her wrist. "Although, everyone is asleep, so really, they're just watching TV and still get no opinion on how my day goes."

Chuckling, I shook my head. "Four is a lot," I said, mostly to myself, glancing at the Chevelle, standing tall in my bay under the fluorescent lights. "Shit, Grace. She's supposed to be a surprise."

"Too late," she said, smiling. "It's kinda hard to keep a surprise from me, don't you think? You've been picturing her painted for the last two days. I had to see her for myself."

I led her to the Chevelle, shining bright under the lights. My Impala was parked next to her, inside the garage, just to avoid going out into the night in order to get her when I drove home. We still hadn't found any silver bullets and the blade I had of pure silver was only four inches long. Really, it wasn't worth the fight. Sam and I had planned to go "antique shopping" this weekend to get a hold of a set of silverware that we could melt down and make new bullets.

Grace reached out to the Chevelle, hesitating before making contact. "The clear coat still wet?"

"Don't touch it," I said, shaking my head. "It's really not worth it. She's cured, but I'd like her to sit a bit first."

She smiled and turned back to her car. "It's a shame the baby seats don't fit," she said, standing back to admire Smoke. "I love the racing stripes."

Nodding, I smiled. "Yeah, the SS always had stripes. I don't know why I didn't paint them the first time."

Taking a step back, she joined me leaning against the Impala. "I miss you," she said quietly. "It feels like you're never home."

"I wanted to get her done before your birthday," I said, reaching for her hand. "I made it."

"By the skin of your teeth," she said, grinning up at me.

"Still counts."

Grace leaned her head on my shoulder, as she did so often, and I took a deep breath, inhaling her sweet scent. "Happy birthday, honey."

Leaning towards me, she kissed me, her hand finding my hair and she combed her fingers through, sending electricity down my spine. Her touch was magnetic; it drew me closer instantly and I turned, leaning around her body, my hands finding the back pockets of her jeans. Automatically, her other hand came up to my shoulder. The muscle beneath her touch tensed, tingles reaching all the way down my back. She gasped, coming up for air, as I attacked her neck, pulling her hair to the side as I explored her skin with my tongue. "You're only wearing one layer," she whispered, giggling. "You're practically naked."

I backed up slightly, glancing down at the faded Guns N' Roses shirt I wore and smiled. We kissed again and I pushed her against the car slightly, lifting her from the ground. She wrapped both arms around my shoulders, pulling herself closer, and I flashed to our first date, out in the parking lot after pie. We were in much the same position now as we had been then, and I wanted nothing more than to do what had crossed my mind almost four years ago. I backed up slightly, never breaking contact from my wife, and opened the back door to my car. She smiled as she heard the telltale creak of the door and she tucked her head down as I pushed us into the back seat.

It was cramped, but I didn't care. She was lifting her arms to strip off her shirt and I was doing the same, dropping my shirt on the floor of the car. Grace worked her belt, struggling to shimmy out of her jeans as I dropped my own, kicking them and my boots off behind me, wedging them between the door and the seat. I pushed into her then, a cry of pleasure escaping her lips without warning. She reciprocated quickly, wrapping her leg around my hip and finding the rhythm with me. We couldn't get enough of each other; we took our time, grinding and moving together for what seemed like hours.

My arms burned with effort, but I hardly felt the pain. All I could feel was Grace. She opened her eyes and smiled, reaching out for my arm, finding The Mark of Cain and without warning, we came together, pulling each other close and grunting with exertion. I glanced up at my wife and for the smallest moment, her eyes glowed blue, just as they had done countless times before.

Spent, I managed to wedge myself into a semi-laying position on the seat with Grace lying across my chest, both of us still completely nude. I wrapped my left arm around her shoulders; helping her stay in position and I propped my bare feet on the windowsill of the back door. I chuckled to myself, considering our position, and whispered, "I'm glad Doug turned the cameras off."

"There are cameras in here?" she whispered back, curling into me. "Are you sure they're off?"

I nodded. "They are. Doug is replacing the monitors before he retires. Wants to make sure I've got the best equipment before I take over."

"That's nice of him," she said quietly, tracing her finger lightly across my chest. "I still can't believe we bought the shop."

A smile spread over my face again, nodding. "I know. Me either."

"We're legit grown-ups now, owning a business."

Glancing down at her, I made a face, "What, because being married, owning a house, and having three kids doesn't make us grown-ups?"

I felt her shrug and giggle, "I guess it does. I keep forgetting we have three kids."

"How can you forget?"

"I don't know," she said, shrugging again. "It doesn't seem real. It's just like I've been babysitting for a really long time. I still feel too young to do all this…too young to have a husband and a house. And a set of twins and a two-and-a-half year old."

It was my turn to shrug. "You look too young to have any of that."

Now, I didn't mean it to be an insult, but Grace seemed to take it that way. I realized as soon as she lifted her shoulder and head from my chest that I had made a mistake, but it was too late to take it back. "I know I look too young to have any of that," she was saying quietly, very obviously shaken. "That's probably why it doesn't feel real. I just keep hitting these milestones, but my body and my face aren't keeping up. Eventually, I'm going to have three kids that look like my siblings."

"Grace, stop," I said, trying to backpedal. "We'll figure that out. Your tattoos have stopped fading. Maybe we can control it."

"You don't know that, Dean," she said, sitting on the edge of the seat. "What happens when the rest of you age and I'm here, still the same, seventy years later? What happens when all of you leave me behind? I don't want to live forever."

The look on Grace's face was heartbreaking. I had nothing to say to her: no words of comfort, because honestly, I didn't know my wife's fate. I had no idea what was coming in our future, but I knew that this would be no easy fix. I chose not to say anything, and instead pull her gently towards me and kiss her. She was hesitant at first, knowing the truth behind my kiss, but I felt her body relax as she gave in. Taking a deep breath, she leaned back onto my chest, this time, keeping her position on top of me. Her hair fell forward as we embraced, covering my face in blonde. She laughed, pulling it back again with one hand and twisting it together in front of her.

"I'm sorry I don't have the answers, gorgeous," I said quietly, stroking her face, "but you have to know that I am not giving up."

Grace nodded slowly, inspecting my face. "I know," she said, touching my cheek. She paused and pursed her lips. "You and Everett have the exact same everything. It's like he's your mini-me."

"That's how I feel about you and Lib," I answered, tilting my head and smiling. "Where does Morning Glory fit in?"

Grace chuckled lightly. "Somewhere in the middle?"

She leaned forward to kiss me again and I pulled her over, scooting as I did so to give her left leg some space in between the seat back and my hip. She rocked back onto me gently and I smiled. "Back again so soon?"

"Mmmm," she muttered, leaning forward again. "I don't hear you complaining."

Closing my eyes, I shook my head. "I ain't stupid."

We made love again in the back seat of my car and we were so wrapped up into each other, we didn't notice the eyes staring in through the window, glowing red in the darkness.


	24. Chapter 24

::Thanks so much for reading! I would love to hear what you think so far! Enjoy!::

...

Chapter 24

Serra

"This ain't so bad," I said to Sam, leaning my head on his shoulder as we sat and watched a movie. "I don't know what Grace is complaining about."

"They're not conscious, Sere," Sam said quietly, smiling. "It's a little different when all four of them are awake at the same time."

I rolled my eyes and scooted lower so that my head lay in his lap. I stared up at him from my position on the couch and shook my head. "Whatever. She's a big girl. She can handle it." Knowing Sam rolled his eyes, I smacked his arm and turned to finish watching the movie. A few minutes later, I could hear one of the twins begin to fuss, their voice echoing through the baby monitor on the table. Turning to glance up at Sam, I lifted my eyebrows. "My impulse is to let him cry it out," I began, "especially considering that if it's Everett, he's gonna be more pissed off that Grace isn't here."

Sam didn't seem to know what to do, so I shook my head and sat up, listening. He moved to the edge of the couch, listening as well, but to something I hadn't noticed yet. "You hear that?" he said, standing silently.

"All I hear is the baby," I said, watching my husband carefully. "What do you hear?"

Shaking his head, he padded to Grace's kitchen and stared out into the night. "Go upstairs, Serra," Sam whispered. "Listen for the kids."

"Shit," I said, walking towards the steps. "Do you see it? Is it back?"

Sam held up his hand as he stared out into the darkness. I closed my mouth and went up three of the steps to get a better view outside. Still listening to one of the babies cry was comforting. At least nothing had changed inside. I ran up the rest of the steps and into Grace and Dean's room. I dug through Grace's nightstand drawer and brought out her tiny .9 millimeter, just to make myself feel better. I came back out onto the landing and stared down into the kitchen. I saw a glint of light from the top of the refrigerator and whispered to Sam. "Sam!" I shouted, using no voice, "There's a .45 on top of the fridge."

He glanced back at me and tiptoed to the fridge, reaching up blindly. Successful, he brought down the gun and checked the clip. "They're not silver," he said quietly. "This won't help me."

"It's comforting at least," I said, moving towards the kids' rooms. Levi was still asleep in the middle of Grace and Dean's bed, surrounded by pillows, so I padded to the other bedrooms and listened at each of the doors, trying to figure out who was crying. Libby was snoring away, still deep asleep while one of her siblings sobbed. I hesitated at Glory's door, but as I got closer, I knew for a fact that the crier was Everett. _Figures._

Gently, I opened the door of his bedroom and walked inside, checking the windows out of habit. Everything was right where it should be, but Rhett was red in the face from crying and as I approached him, I shoved the .9 millimeter in my back pocket and he quieted long enough to see that I wasn't Grace and began to cry again. "Oh, come on, kiddo," I said, scooping him up out of his crib. "You're okay." I patted his back and bounced him around the room, trying to calm my nephew. "You're okay. Momma's going to be back later. She went to go fuck your daddy." I chuckled at my own foul mouth, realizing how awful it sounded out loud. "Sorry. She went to see your daddy. There, that's more PG, right?"

He was relentless, wailing at the top of his lungs. I offered different objects to him as we walked, but nothing appeased him. I stared down at the mini-Dean in my arms and shook my head. "You're pathetic," I said, heading towards the window in the corner of the room. Glancing up, staring out into the field behind the Big House, I could see movement. The curtains that hung in my nephew's room were just transparent enough to see through and as I approached in the dark, I could see a creature moving quickly across the open space in the tall grass. "Shit, there it is," I said, staring.

Almost as if the monster heard me, it paused and stood on its hind legs, turning to stare into the upstairs windows. I knew from the angle it watched from, it couldn't see us, but there was a distinct possibility that it could hear us. "Shhh, Rhett. It's okay," I patted him again and watched the creature take off running again, into the night.

I could hear Sam running up the steps to the second floor as I watched the werewolf take off across the field, back towards the main road where Sam had seen it the first time. Breathless, he ran into Rhett's room, pushing his hair out of his face and glancing around. "Are you okay?"

"We're fine," I said, making a face. "It's not like it was up here."

"I know, but did you see it?"

Nodding, I spoke over Everett, "Yeah, and I'm pretty sure it could hear him." I flashed to the memories of my dad hunting the pack of werewolves when I was a kid and knowing that they had a taste for young flesh. "You think it's circling for the kids?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," Sam said, approaching Rhett and me. He reached out and stroked our nephew's head, shushing him as he did so. "Everett, it's okay," he said quietly. "Shhhhh."

"I'm gonna go downstairs and try to feed him," I replied, Rhett still screaming.

Turning to follow me out of the room, Sammy hesitated in the hall, listening to the other three kids. Everyone seemed safe and quiet, so he joined me in the kitchen moments later. I grabbed a bottle from the fridge and shook it, warming it under the hot water of the sink. "Come on, kiddo. It can't always be mom holding you," I was saying over his sobs. "You've gotta let someone else hold you every once and awhile." I turned, thinking Sammy was standing behind me, but I looked up into Cas' blue eyes instead. "Shit, hi Cas," I greeted, taking a deep gasp of air. "What brings you over? You catch sight of the werewolf?"

"Werewolf? No. There is a werewolf?" he asked, suddenly facing the sliding glass door at the end of the kitchen. "I heard Everett continue to cry and decided to come and help Grace, but you're here. Where is Grace?"

"She went to see Dean at the shop. He finished the Chevelle tonight and she wanted to reward him," I replied, swirling the bottle under the hot water as Rhett continued to wail.

Castiel shook his head, obviously not understanding. "It is Dean's new, chosen career to refurbish vintage cars. Isn't that in itself a reward?"

I was shaking my head as I felt Everett's bottle. It was good enough. I laid him back into my arm and showed him the bottle of milk. He continued to whimper, but seemed content in being fed. He reached for the bottle as I walked over to the couch to sit down. "No, you're not getting it," I said, picking up the conversation. "She and Dean just haven't had any alone time in awhile, with the kids here all the time. She went to the shop to "see" him." I emphasized the word "see," trying to communicate the truth in my sister's evening adventure.

Cas simply stared at me and tilted his head. Sam chuckled behind me at my frustration.

"She went to fuck him," I said blatantly using the same inappropriate phrase I had used in front of Everett.

Watching Rhett eat, Cas nodded, finally understanding. "I knew they were intimate this evening. Twice, in fact, but Grace is not ovulating, so I allowed them to proceed."

Sam put up his hands and shook his head, walking away from Cas and I. "What the hell, Cas?" I said, shaking my head as well.

He watched my and Sam's reactions with confusion. "Grace and Dean had assigned me the task of not allowing Grace to be impregnated again."

"Literally?" I asked, my eyebrows in the air.

Nodding, Castiel continued, "They have yet to figure out a better solution. Nothing else will work and Dean seems to have an aversion to condoms."

"Oh my God, Cas," Sam's voice came from behind the counter. "Stop, just stop talking."

He didn't seem to understand the discomfort of the discussion, but Cas stopped talking anyway. He glanced out the window with his hands behind his back and smiled lightly, changing subjects. "A werewolf?"

Laughing at Sam's reaction, I nodded, grateful for the shift in conversation. "Yeah, Grace caught wind of her a couple of days ago. Said she couldn't hear her."

Nodding, Cas agreed. "No, Grace would not be able to hear a creature such at that. This pack is different, though. They can shift at will and the family is very large."

"How can they shift at will? A genetic mutation?"

Cas glanced over at Sam, nodding slightly. "Do you remember Eve? When she began to change the monsters she created to make new, more horrible ones?"

Sam nodded once. "She is hard to forget."

"The werewolves that existed before were bound by the lunar cycle. The newest families that have been changed and inter-bred do not require the cycle in order to shift."

"Awesome," I muttered. Glancing down at Everett, I smiled lightly. His bright blue eyes, so similar to Grace's, were beginning to close and finally, he was breathing calmly. "Hey, look. I'm the most amazing aunt ever. I got Rhett to calm the hell down."

Sammy chuckled quietly. "It's a miracle."

Almost as if he understood, Everett glanced at Sam and frowned slightly. Again, giving into the sleepiness he felt, he closed his eyes, still with his little eyebrows furrowed together.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Dean

We had fallen asleep in the back of the Impala when my phone started buzzing in my jeans pocket and vibrated the metal floor so that it echoed throughout the car. Grace stirred, pulling her face away from my chest and looking around, confused. "Oh my God, Dean. How long have we been asleep?"

Using my foot to pull my jeans closer to me, I reached around Grace to dig in my pockets. The caller was Roger, not Sam or Serra, so we couldn't have been out long. I let the call go to voicemail and helped Grace sit up. "It's not too late," I said, glancing at my phone's lock screen. "It's only 10:15."

Rubbing her face, Grace nodded. "We should still get going home. Serra has to work in the morning."

"What time?"

"Nine," she said, pulling her shirt on, hitting her hand on the ceiling above her. "What did Roger want?"

I shook my head as I tugged my own shirt on. "I dunno. I let it go to voicemail." I chuckled as I watched Grace attempt to pull on her jeans; they were my favorites on her. She and Serra called them 'skinny jeans' and they hugged her in all the right places, but they seemed impossible to tug on in the confines of the car.

Getting frustrated, she finally sighed and opened the car door and stood; finally succeeding in covering her ass with denim. Buckling her belt, she bent over and picked up her purse from the front seat, leaning over my shoulder to get to it. I turned towards her automatically, inhaling her shampoo and kissed her cheek. I climbed out of the car as well, securing my belt and grabbing my boots, tossing them into the front seat. I didn't have the patience right now to put them on. It just hit me how exhausted I was and how much I just wanted a hot shower and to climb into bed with my beautiful bride.

I glanced at her, still bending into the Impala, her ass sticking out of the car as she searched for something. "What are you looking for?"

She stood, avoiding hitting her head on the ceiling and held up one of her sandals. "I lost my shoe," she said, smiling ironically.

Grinning, I shook my head. "It's in there somewhere. I'll find it later. Come on, gorgeous. Let's go home." She walked back to The Tank barefoot and I followed closely behind. She turned around a couple of times, glancing into the trees beyond the range of the floodlights from the shop. "What do you hear, Grace?" I asked, listening hard. I could feel it too, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end with anticipation.

Shaking her head, she turned to face me, but watched over my shoulder. "I don't hear anything, but it's like I can feel that someone was here." She rubbed the tops of her arms subconsciously and instinctually, I moved closer to my wife. She was uneasy and it put me on red alert. "The good news is that the silver bullets are in a box in the attic of the Small House labeled "Dad's stuff."

"When did you see that?"

"I dreamt it just now," Grace said, gesturing to the garage. "Oh, and Roger called because he found Serra's Wagoneer."

I grinned, "Awesome on both accounts. I'll call him back in the morning." Kissing her forehead and opening the door for her, I helped her climb in and waited for her to start it up. The engine roared to life, all eight cylinders purring. I got the mechanics of this truck smooth like butter. Smiling to myself, I slammed the door and turned back to the garage. "I'll see you at home, honey."

"Love you," she called.

I turned and smiled. "I love you, too."

...

Pulling up behind Grace at the Big House, I shut off my lights and followed her up the porch. She was still barefoot, which made me smile, remembering our tryst in the back seat of my car. She turned and smiled too, seeing what I saw flash through my mind as I climbed the steps behind her.

"Cas is here," she whispered as she opened the screen door.

Concern flooded through me, wondering why he had shown. It was an automatic, learned response, really, but I knew that Grace's voice didn't sound worried, so I tried to calm down. "Why?" I asked, waiting for her to unlock the deadbolt.

"Sam and Serra saw the wolf again," she answered, "but it's just circling. We need to take it out." She listened momentarily. "Them. We need to take them out."

We walked in to Sam and Serra sitting on the couch: Sam cradling his son, feeding him with a bottle, and Serra holding mine, both of them looked like they were fast asleep. Cas sat on the edge of the comfy chair, obviously trying to look casual, but he was still an angel…he would never really learn to relax the way that us humans could.

"Hey, guys. Sorry," Grace was saying, walking over to Serra. "We fell asleep."

Serra looked up at her sister and smiled devilishly. "Because of the sex?"

Grace smacked her across the shoulder. "Shut up," she said, staring down at our son. "Did he cry a lot?"

"Of course he did," Serra said, handing him to Grace, "but because I'm the most amazing aunt ever, I calmed him down. He ate about an hour ago."

Smiling, Grace kissed his forehead and I touched his face. "Momma's Boy," I whispered.

"I'll put him back down," Grace said, walking back towards the steps. "See if he'll stay there."

Turning to Cas, I lifted my eyebrows. "Heard the wolf was back?"

Sam took over, telling me what he saw over his shoulder as Levi continued to eat, even with his eyes closed. "Yeah, I thought I heard something but Everett was crying, so I couldn't really tell, and then I was pretty sure I could see it running across the field, and then Serra saw it staring up at her from Rhett's room."

"It saw you?"

Serra nodded, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Yeah. I think it's circling because it knows the kids are here." She pursed her lips. "Fucker."

I sighed and shook my head. "Well, I've got some vacation time to take. I'll get Doug to sign off on it in the next few days before the shop gets transferred to our name and we'll go hunting."

"Sam says I shouldn't be going," she said quietly, rolling her eyes. I glanced up at my brother, who avoided my gaze by occupying himself with his son. "Says it's man's work."

"Bullshit, Serra," he said, finally looking up. "I never said that."

She sighed and stared at him. "Just about," she argued. "'Oh, we've got Levi' you said, 'you should be home with him,'" Serra mimicked Sam, lowering her voice and huffing out air, while flicking her hair in a very Sammy way. I laughed, despite myself. "Man's work, killing monsters."

He was shaking his head but smiling, I said, "Dude, we need her," I found myself saying. "She's a better shot that even me. Plus, we take out the pack fast, and we can go about our business faster. It's more efficient with the girls."

Turning on me, Sam let the anger creep into his voice. "So you're letting Grace go with us?"

I shrugged. "If we can get someone to watch all four kids, yeah. Four hunters are better than two and face it, Sammy. They were tortured in Hell for five weeks, by themselves." I took a breath, gesturing at my wife's sister. "While they were pregnant," I added for effect. It was hard to believe that I was defending the girls' right to come with us to take out the pack, but I was telling the truth. We were stronger together.

Grace came back down the steps with her hands in her pockets, obviously listening to the discussion from upstairs. Her face didn't give away which side she favored, but all three of us stared at her as we waited for her to speak. "The silver bullets are in a box in your attic," she finally said, quietly. "Cas has already decided that we should be going together and is offering to stay with the kids as long as Lucia and Jody are here to help."

I smiled and extended my hand towards my wife. "Problem solved, Sam. Two angels and a Sheriff. Practically another angel."

I could tell that Sam still didn't approve, but he was giving in because he was outnumbered. "Fine," he said, standing slowly and handing Levi off to Serra. "I don't want to hear it when he asks for a pistol for his ninth birthday."

Serra rolled her eyes again. "He would already have a pistol," she muttered. "I'd get him a sawed-off."

He walked to the back door without another word and opened the door. "I'm going home," he said quietly. "Good night."

Closing the door behind him, the room filled with a silence that was a little awkward, even for me. I didn't really understand my brother, but then, he did things that confused me all the time. Grace turned and spoke to mostly Serra, but eyed me a few times, just to drive the point home. "He's angry because he thinks we're slipping right back into being hunters. As he left, he thought 'You promised, Dean.'" She shook her head. "I don't know what that means."

I plopped down into the spot that Sam had occupied only moments before. Shaking my head, I opened my mouth to speak, knowing exactly what Sam was bitching about this time. "When you and I started dating, I told him that I was thinking about hanging it up," I said, leaning back into the cushions. "He told me that if I meant it, he would drop out too, wanting to finish school and get a legit job. He made me promise that if we," I pointed a finger back and forth to me and Grace, "ever went south, I would move on, but leave him be, so he wouldn't have to hunt anymore, regardless of what I chose to do."

"But it's not like you're going back on your promise. You're about to own the garage!" Serra said, making a face. "And it's not like you two are breaking up! There's a legit monster out there and he expects us to what, leave it and hope they move on?"

Grace shrugged and nodded. "I guess? Sam has always been a bit of a mystery to me. I can't really get a good read on his feelings, just the thoughts he has." She glanced at Cas, who was still perched on the arm of the chair. "What's wrong with him?"

Cas took a deep breath and folded his hands in his lap. "Sam is a very complex person. He desires to hunt and destroy the creatures that threaten his family, but he also values your safety and Levi's wellbeing more. It's almost as if there are two very different arguments happening in his brain and he cannot decide which one to side with."

"See?" Grace said, walking over to her sister and squeezing in between us on the couch. "That's why I can't read him like I can read you guys. He's too complicated."

Shaking his head, Cas disagreed, "No, you can't read Sam the same way because he has learned to close off his mind in a such a way that even I have a hard time reading him. You have to remember, his psyche and his mental walls have been anguished for years, ever since Lucifer used him as a vessel, ever since he had to battle internally with Satan himself." Cas sighed, looking pained when talking about my little brother. "Sam has been ripped apart and put back together too many times to count. He only wants one thing: the safety of his family."

I took a ragged breath and rubbed my face with both hands. "I know he does, but if we don't take out this pack of werewolves, they're gonna take someone else out. They might have already. He needs to understand that our job is to keep other people safe."

"Your job was to do that," Cas said quietly. "Now your job is to rebuild cars…and care for your wife and children."

Closing my eyes, I knew Cas had a point. We were out of the game. I rolled my head back and forth, trying to get my neck to pop. "Can't we just table this and go to bed? I'm so tired."

Serra took her cue and stood with Levi. "Do I dare go home?" she asked, staring at my wife.

Grace nodded quietly. "He just wants you happy, Lucky. Go home and get him talking and he'll be fine."

"But I'm not good at talking. I'm good at other stuff."

Laughing and squeezing her eyes tight, Grace pointed to the door. "Get out, get out of my house."

Castiel stood and I nodded at him. "Walk her and my nephew home, will you?"

"Of course," Cas replied, adjusting his trench coat with purpose. "Goodnight, Winchester family."

"Night, Cas," Grace replied. She stood to hug him and he reciprocated quickly then walked to the back door. Grace and Serra embraced, hesitating only so Grace could kiss Levi goodbye. "See you in the morning, Levi," she cooed. He stretched and yawned and the girls exchanged smiles, watching him.

Serra followed Cas out the back door and I locked it behind them, turning off the lights and closing the blinds. They were out there, I knew it. The tingle in the back of my neck hadn't gone away, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they showed their ugly faces.

Following Grace upstairs, I paused in the hall; just as I did each night, and listened to my kids breathe. I stopped at Everett's door first, opening it in the slightest, just to hear his breath echo out into the room. I closed it and moved to Lib's room, listening to my first-born and watching her back rise and fall as she slept on her stomach. I smiled and closed the door once more, moving to Glory's room.

She was curled into a corner of her crib, completely pressed against the bars. One of her chubby little arms was hanging through at an awkward angle, so I silently moved towards her and uncurled her body, laying her again in the middle of her crib. I rested my hand on her chest, keeping her company while she settled back into a deep sleep. I pulled her light blanket up near her hand, knowing how much she loved the tags on the edge. Predictably, she opened her chubby little fist and grabbed it as soon as it made contact with her skin. I laughed silently and padded back out of the room, closing the door behind me.

…

Over the course of the next few days, Sam, Serra and I filled our afternoons with melting down the silver that Grace found online and making them into all different kinds of caliber bullets. Grace helped here and there, but she was on constant Everett duty. He was getting fussier by the day and I could tell she was on edge with my needy son. She walked down stairs, holding both of the twins with Liberty hot on her tail.

"Hey," I greeted her, taking Glory and putting her on my hip as I finished wiping the newly made .45s down with a rag. "How's the parasite?"

Grace rolled her eyes at me. "It might be easier for me just to go back to work."

"A daycare would fire him," Serra said under her breath, glancing back at her own sleeping son. "At least one of the boys is a man," she said, mocking.

Shaking her head, Grace glanced down at Everett as she switched the hip she held him on. "I don't know what the problem is," she said, sighing. "He is literally only calm when I am holding him or he's asleep. It's really getting wearing."

I walked towards the both of them and held out my arm, offering to hold him as well, but he shied away from me as he had done so many times before. Shaking my head, I tried my hardest not to take it personally. Glory leaned on my chest and sucked on her finger as she watched silently. "Come on, Everett," I said quietly, "give Momma a break, huh?" Serra took Glory from me as I continued to stare at him. "Come on, kiddo. Just once."

Moving closer to me, Grace took a careful step forward. "There's Daddy," she was whispering, making it a big deal. "You wanna go see Daddy?"

Falling into a sense of false security, Rhett grinned at me and lunged, holding his arms out towards me. Smiling back at him, I grabbed him under his arms and tossed him lightly up into the air, making it a game. "Look at you!" I said, still smiling at him. "Hi!"

Grace stayed frozen in place, trying her best not to draw his attention back towards her. I offered him one of his puffy-cheesy-wonder-snacks that both of the twins loved so much and he took it greedily. As he leaned towards the snack, his hand landed on the exposed part of The Mark on my arm and Everett whipped away from me like he had been burned. Crying, he turned around, looking for Grace, and with watery eyes, he glanced back at me like I had somehow betrayed him. Grace hesitated in taking him back immediately, not wanting to reinforce the action, but I was filled with guilt. She watched our son; her eyebrows furrowed, and took his own arm in her hands, inspecting it.

"What, Grace?" I could hear Serra's concern in her voice, waiting to hear what had happened. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, still concentrating on something that the rest of us were unaware of. Closing her eyes, Grace listened as she held his arm; to what, I had no idea. Moments passed as the rest of us waited and it was finally Lib that broke the silence. "Brudder like Daddy," she declared as she climbed up the back of the couch.

Serra turned to Liberty and raised her eyebrows. "Brother is like Daddy?" she asked, moving around the table towards Lib. "What do you mean, Libby?"

Holding out her hand as she had to me so many times to share her thoughts, Serra reached out and made contact with her eldest niece. Fear burrowed deep into my chest, not wanting to acknowledge the possibility that Everett would end up with a genetic Mark of Cain.

Serra was silent for more seconds than I wanted to deal with, and when she finally turned back towards the dining room table, she pursed her lips. I watched as my wife exchanged thoughts with her sister and finally it was too much for me to take. "What the hell is happening?"

Grace tilted her head. "It's not like he'll have an actual Mark, but it is there. It's why he's angry all the time. It's like when you were unchecked, without me. It's in his blood…his genetic code." She paused as tears came to her eyes, shaking her head. "I never considered that it would show up in the kids."

Closing my eyes, still holding my whimpering son, I concentrated on staying calm. How stupid of me to think that it wouldn't show up in my kids. How fucking stupid for me to think that we they were safe. I knew Grace was listening to me and as I opened my eyes, I stared into her perfect face. "I'm sorry, Grace. I didn't know."

"None of us did," she replied, having eyes only for me. "We'll figure it out. Right now, we have wolves to worry about."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Castiel

Lying next to Lucia in our bed, we continued to listen to the Winchesters as they finally put it together about Everett's own Mark of Cain. As a family, they were some a the brightest minds that I had ever met in on Earth, and for them to now have to deal with a child and The Mark…well. I was not envious of the coming years with Everett.

"I do not know if we should allow Grace to carry another," Lucia said, shattering my thoughts. "What if it's another son? They would have two of the Mark, and there is simply not enough Grace to go around."

I nodded, still silent. The girls, Liberty and Glory, took on more than enough of Grace's nephilim qualities that if it came down to it, they had the ability to control the anger from their brother for now, but I was also worried about the self-destructive isolation that Dean was considering putting himself into. He felt guilty, an as per his usual, felt he needed to be punished for it. Grace would read it in her husband and I knew that I could depend on her to do what she needed to do.

Turning to stare at Lucia, I smiled lightly. She was a truly magnificent creature; seraphim always were. Her hair was braided and flowed down her shoulders and her body was covered modestly by a loose white sheet. Reaching out to touch her face, I leaned towards her to kiss her gently. Humans really understood pleasure; I had been completely changed by Lucia's touch. I could understand why they craved each other the way they did and why wars had been fought in the name of love and desire.

I could grasp why Dean had three children.

Gently moving towards her, I slowly pulled the sheet down and could feel the heat from her body. I cupped her face and moved closer still, feeling the curves of her neck and chest, pulling her hips closer to mine. As we made love again, I was grateful for everything I had learned while on Earth.

Later, Lucia was gone and I was alone with my thoughts. If Grace carried another child, I knew it would be female because I had seen her in dreams. I wondered momentarily if that wasn't the answer that the Winchesters were looking for: reinforcement for when Everett became too much to handle. Shaking my head, I dismissed the thought: Grace and Dean had both been very clear.

"Four is too many, Cas," Dean had reminded me one night, with his tiny infant daughter asleep on his chest, "How do we make sure we don't end up with four, or more for that matter?"

It was then, that I had offered to intervene, if necessary. "I can be mindful of Grace's cycles and help when I can."

I remembered the look on Dean's face. "You can do that?" he asked, staring at me with a bottle in his hand, empty after Glory's feast.

Nodding, I stared at my best friend, who was obviously very conflicted. He adored his children, and would probably have more if it had been easier on Grace, but he knew when to stop. "I can."

Dean heaved a huge sigh of relief, then, closing his eyes and leaning his head back in the chair. "That's amazing, Cas," he said quietly. "And yeah, do that, will you?"

Coming out of my memory, I looked around for the rest of my clothes and decided to shower before he called me to come and babysit. The Winchesters were going hunting tonight.

…

"Hey Cas," Grace greeted me as she opened the door. As always, she was carrying Everett as he sucked on his fist. "Good timing."

Glancing around the room, I could see that the entire family was in hunting mode. It reminded me of the old days, when I would watch the brothers prepare themselves for a hunt against a simple monster: vampires or shape shifters. Dean and Sam were creatures of habit, moving through the motions that I had seen them go through countless times before. Thrown into the mix, Serendipity counted clips and fastened her ankle holster that carried a handy little .9 millimeter under the leg of her jeans. Grace stared at her family and I could tell that she was torn: get ready for a werewolf hunt or comfort her son?

"You know where the pack is?" I asked, breaking the rhythm of preparations.

Dean glanced up and nodded. "Sam looked into it. The address wolf-girl gave me in the shop is actually a bowling alley outside of town. He did a little leg work and figured out that they might be staying in the motel down the highway a bit from there."

Nodding, Sam agreed with his brother, loading another clip and handing it to his wife. "Yeah, there's a block of rooms being rented out, long term. Seems like that's where they would be."

I nodded, agreeing. Grace and I turned towards the door, hearing Jody approach. The others noticed our movements and Serra smiled. "Nice to know we've got people we can count on to watch the kids when you're not around, Gracie."

"I don't know about this," Grace answered. "I don't like the idea of going out tonight. It doesn't feel right."

Dean glanced at his wife, his eyebrows up. "What's up, Grace?"

She shook her head and I did what I could to tap into Grace's thought process. She and I usually thought along the same lines, but her human side had instincts that I would never understand. "I don't know," she said shrugging. "It's not like they're going to be sitting in the hotel, waiting for us."

Serra shrugged, "I don't think we're expecting that, but we need to go on the offensive."

"Why?" she asked quietly. "They haven't attacked anyone. It's not like people are disappearing."

Tilting her head, Serra took a step forward. "What, are you siding with the werewolves, now, Grace? You've got three kids, sister. You're telling me we should wait for one of them to get attacked before we take them out?"

"I'm not saying that," Grace said, "I'm just saying that tonight should probably be recon, just to see what we're up against."

Dean and Sam exchanged glances and shrugged in tandem. "I see her point," Sam said.

Serra clicked her tongue and put her hands on her hips in an annoyed way as Jody came through the front door. "Then what are we getting ready for?" she said as Jody hugged Dean.

"We still need to go prepared," Grace was saying, gesturing to the table. "It's not like I want to take my family to a group of werewolves unarmed. That's just stupid, Serra." She turned to Jody and waved, then turned back to her sister. "I know how impulsive you can be. It's what got me shot the first time."

Sam and Dean whipped to turn and face the women standing near the table. I was intrigued as well, knowing that something Serra had done got Grace shot. Dean was the first to break the silence, "There's a story there."

Grace threw him a look at pulled her shirt up slightly, showing the side of her hip. "Oh shut up, Grace," Serra said, rolling her eyes. "It was just a ricochet." She leaned towards Grace slightly, shaking her head. "You can't even see the wound anyway."

Sam laughed, holstering his gun. "You ready?"

The Winchesters nodded, guns being tucked in jeans and holsters around the table, blades finding safe places, also stored on their bodies. Grace still hesitated, watching her husband hold out her mother-of-pearl handled gun that matched his own. Finally, she sighed. "Let's see if Jody can handle our boy."

Jody approached Grace and smiled, holding out her hands towards Everett. He shied away, predictably, but I gently intervened, leaning forward and touching his forehead. He was immediately drowsy and went willingly to Jody as Grace handed him over.

"What did you do?" Grace asked, watching her son intently.

"He's eaten his dinner," I began, "I just made him a little more comfortable."

Dean laughed. "That's a neat trick. Gracie, take notes."

"Seriously," she said, turning back to Dean and taking her gun. "You gonna be okay, Jody?"

Jody nodded. "I've got me an angel or two at my disposal. Three on four won't be too bad. Besides, Lib and Glory are already asleep. Throw this one into bed and Levi won't be far behind. It'll be an easy night."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Serra

Finally. I've got a gun in my hand and we are out in the dark, hunting for things that go bump in the night. The motel near the bowling alley was about twenty minutes from Winchester Ranch and riding in the back of The Tank, I got myself hyped up for the night. I knew we weren't planning on making any kills tonight, but I wouldn't argue against it. Sam could almost sense my excitement and I grinned at him from my spot on the bench seat. Dean and Grace sat up front and talked amongst themselves as Dean drove down the highway.

The first time we drove by the motel, we slowed down long enough to count the cars in the parking lot and evaluate the set up of the motel. It had the typical skuzzy, by-the-hour motel feel to it, built in a U-shape and slightly overgrown and run-down. There were sixteen cars in the lot and most of the lights in the south half of the building were on. "You hear anything, Grace?" I asked, coming to the cab of The Tank and crouching behind the bench seat in the front.

My sister shook her head, "Nothing except the usual. Whores. Truckers. Homeless." She paused and closed her eyes. "I can't pick anything up that shouldn't be there, but I can't hear them anyway, so I'm really no help."

Dean got off the highway and wound his way back towards the back entrance to the motel. "I'm going to park in the back and we'll go check things out."

"All of us?" Sam said, "Seems unnecessary and risky."

I exchanged looks with my brother-in-law. He made a face and nodded. "Yay or nay, wife," he said, glancing at Grace.

"Recon," she reiterated slowly, turning and staring at me. "Only."

"Hey," I said, defensive. "I'm not gonna cause a scene."

"What's happening?" Sam asked, coming closer to the front of the cab.

I turned towards him and smiled. "Me and Dean are gonna go check things out."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "You. And Dean."

Grace laughed, obviously hearing his thoughts. "What?" I asked, looking from Sam to Grace. "You think I can't do recon?"

"That's not what I was thinking at all," he said, shrugging. "I've never not gone with Dean before. If I don't go, usually it's because I'm doing research or pissed at him. It's weird that you're going and not me."

I slid a full clip of silver into my gun and smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "Deal with it," I said, pushing the door open. "Come on, bro." I jumped out of the truck and put my guns back in my shoulder holsters and I pulled on my denim jacket.

Dean joined me on the other side of The Tank and smiled lightly at me. "This is a first, huh?"

"For sure. Try not to get me killed."

"I'd say the same to you, but I think you know it already," he put his gun in the waistband of his jeans and closed the door gently. "Hey, I forgot to tell you. Found your Wagoneer."

We trotted across the parking lot and stayed in the confines of the shadows. I glanced back at him, grinning, and I couldn't help but let a little excitement show. "No way! God," I whispered, following the edge of the building and slowing my pace as I came to the edge of the wall, "only took you four months."

"Hey," he whispered back. "I've been busy."

I rolled my eyes and giggled to myself. "Three kids is not an excuse."

We silenced our conversation as we came to our first window. I peeked into the exposed corner of window and shook my head, pointing farther on. The room was occupied by a very awkward couple in the beginning stages of intimacy. We moved silently towards the next room and I shook my head. The curtains were pulled all the way closed. There was no way I would be able to see anything, so I pointed to the next room.

Dean took the lead on this one, crouching low to creep under the window. This one had the curtains open about half way, light cutting through the darkness outside. I stayed out of the light and moved to the other side of the window. Dean leaned closer to the glass and glanced in very quickly and shook his head. We ventured farther along the edge of the motel's windows and the room on the corner was the first time we had any luck.

Very slowly, Dean checked the last window, light coming out onto the sidewalk where we crouched and he stared at me and pointed. I edged my way towards the glass and nodded, immediately bending low again, out of sight. We both held up three fingers, coming to the same count of people occupying the room. Apparently, the woman from the shop was the bleach blonde in the corner of the room. I gagged theatrically and shook my head at him.

He gestured back towards The Tank and we made our way around the corner of the motel, hiding the shadows as the window opened and a very large, very loud man stuck his head out, just as we rounded the corner of the motel. "You smell that, Cece?" he yelled, sniffing the air.

I threw myself against the wall and Dean did the same next to me, just out of view of the werewolf family. Out of desperation, I stared at my brother-in-law, willing him to hear my thoughts the same way Grace could. I mouthed, "Take them out."

He shook his head. "Recon," he mouthed back and I rolled my eyes. We paused to listen and I could hear more than three voices coming down the hall.

Dean pushed me into the bushes and we broke into a run, heading back to The Tank. I knew Grace was in the driver's seat already, starting the engine, just in case, and we hauled ass, jumping in and burning rubber out of the parking lot. Slamming the door and rolling into the middle of the floor of the way back, I pushed myself off of Dean's chest and grabbed Sammy's hand. He helped me into the seat as Dean climbed towards the cab to sit next to Grace.

"There are at least six," he began, turning back to Sammy and me in the back seat. "Three in one room and three in the other."

Sam leaned forward, listening interestedly. "A family of werewolves," he said, mystified. "Sounds a lot like Katie."

Dean made a face and nodded. "Yeah, and you remember how that ended."

"I don't," I said, wanting more details. Dean turned to me and told the story of the last werewolves that he and Sam ran into. We drove to a diner to finalize our plan of action over burgers and pie, then headed home, late into the night.

…

"They were here," Cade growled sniffing the air and walking along the wall where Dean and Serra had been only moments before. "Watching us. I just know it."

"What do they plan on doing?" Dylan asked, turning to his sister and putting his hands in his pockets. "With everyone here now, they can't possibly think that they're going to try and take us out."

Cecelia shook her head, setting her jaw in anger. "Of course they think they're going to take us out. It's what they did with Jeff and the rest of them all those years ago. It's why we're here. Vindication for the family."

"Let's not keep them waiting," Cade said, pacing back and forth across the room. "We should strike now, while they think they're still safe! Go after the kids. I'll bet you they're all together."

"Wait, wait, wait," Cecelia said. "We'll go in the next few days. Give them a false sense of security."

The eldest cousin stepped forward, out into the light, revealing his scarred face and dangerous eyes. He spoke then, his voice low and terrifying. "We'll move during the day, when they least expect it." Cecelia backed away from her cousin out of respect as he spoke. "The Alpha will be at home with the pups, unprepared for the attack. Cecelia can go after Alpha's mate and then the cousins will go for Beta and then her mate." He turned to Cecelia and spoke down to her, moving closer as he did so. "You'll get your revenge on the hunters. It's coming this week."

…

I knew that Grace was uneasy about our trip out to the werewolves' motel, but I felt better, knowing we had some information. There were at least six, which meant we could take them out easily if we were together. I kept a loaded pistol with me at all times and I knew Dean began his habit of keeping his Colt within range as well. Grace was on guard constantly, reaching out with her senses as much as she could, but still keeping a silver angel blade by her side at all times. We went back to work on Monday and as I dropped Levi off with my sister, I smiled reassuringly. "Everyone will be fine," I said, kissing Levi on his head. "See you later."

Grace nodded at me and smiled weakly. "I just still can't shake the feeling," she replied, "that we're gonna be caught with our panties down."

"No worries, sis," I said, sticking my hands in the pockets of my scrubs. "Stay locked down here. Hang out in the panic room if it makes you feel better, but everything will be fine."

She nodded and walked me to the door, Dean following closely behind. I glanced at the clock. "When are you supposed to open?"

Shaking his head, Dean kissed Grace goodbye and hugged Lib for the fourth time. "In about eight minutes," he responded, irritated. "I'm not gonna make it. I hope Doug is there."

"Are you going to start on the Wagoneer today?"

Dean nodded his head as he pushed me out the door. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I got it. There's a Buick that I haven't finished either. It's still up on the lift in my bay." He turned back to Grace and tried to smile. "Tell me again why we bought a body shop?"

She laughed and kissed him again and closed the door behind us as we walked down the steps together. Dean glanced back, checking to make sure everything still looked the way it should and we walked towards our respective cars. I hoofed it back across the field to get my purse and the keys to my truck. I tossed a cookie to Johnny as he ran out the dog door to see me off and I heard Dean start up the Impala and peel out down the highway. Backing up into the main road, I put my truck into gear and watched Johnny gallop back towards the Big House to keep Grace and the kids company while we were gone.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Grace

The scratching at the door put me on red alert, but I realized that it was Johnny in his morning routine of coming to greet me and play with Liberty after breakfast. I opened the slider and let him in. He bounded across the room and greeted her, licking her face and sending her into a fit of giggles. I poured her a bowl of dry Cheerios and she sat and ate happily, sharing with Johnny every chance she got.

Everett was in his highchair across from her, watching Johnny with fascination. He fumbled with Cheerios as well; sticking one in his mouth for every six he tried. Glory was on my hip for a change, pulling my shirt and begging for food. I plopped her in her high chair as well, across from her brother and bent to scoop Levi from the floor and laid him in the swing, near the bar. Johnny came to nuzzle him, getting a smile in response and took his place in the middle of the rug, among the chaos.

I survived successfully until naptime, sending Liberty to bed with Johnny, and then I made my rounds, putting the twins each in their own room and Levi took his place in the middle of our bed, surrounded by pillows. Around eleven that morning, I was finally able to sit and have a cup of coffee, listening to the baby monitors, wondering how my life ended up like this.

We used to be nomads, hunters; wandering from motel to motel, killing what needed to be killed, and now, here I was, living in my giant farm house that I owned with my husband, taking care of our three kids and my sister's as well. It was a culture shock, to say the least. I took a sip of coffee and made a face. I hated lukewarm coffee.

Standing to put my cup in the microwave, I caught a glimpse of something standing in the middle of our field. It was human, or at least it had been. I stared as it disappeared into the wheat, dancing in the wind. Throwing my senses as far as they could reach, I listened hard. It wasn't human, but I already knew that. I took a deep breath, debating what to do. Calmly, I walked over to each of the doors to double check that they were locked. Carrying the baby monitors with me, I did my rounds; closing the blinds and double-checking locked windows. The microwave beeped with my reheated coffee and I held my hand over my phone, debating on calling Dean.

Shaking my head, knowing I was overreacting, I decided against making the call just yet. We knew the wolves were watching us, and as long as I stayed put and didn't panic, they wouldn't attack the house. Or at least, normal werewolves wouldn't attack the house, especially in broad daylight. I couldn't help it though…there was something in the air.

"Cas, now would be a good time," I said quietly, closing my eyes.

"A good time for what?" he asked, staring at me with those blue eyes, piercing right into my soul.

I opened the microwave, pulling out my coffee and took a sip. "A good time for you to help me circle the wagons. They're out there."

"The werewolves? During the day?"

"I know. They're breaking all the rules." I took another sip. "I've had a bad feeling about this from the beginning. It's like they've got a vendetta against us or something. Almost like this is a deep-seeded revenge scheme." Cas stared at me, not knowing what I wanted him to say. "I don't want you to say anything," I replied to his thought. "I just feel better with you here."

Nodding, he walked to the window and peeked out through the curtain. "It is strange, knowing they're out there, but not being able to hear them."

"I know, right?" I sat down at the bar to finish my coffee. "I would never admit this to her, but I kinda wish we had just done what Serra wanted to do from the beginning. Just taken them out when we had the chance." I shook my head. "This waiting game is killing me."

"Is Dean still planning on attacking this week?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Serra wants to go tomorrow night, but I feel like they should go in the afternoon." I shook my head again, not really understanding my own trepidation. "They need to strike when they don't know we're coming."

Cas was silent for a long time. I heard the conversation shift in his brain and he gestured upstairs. "How is Everett?"

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess. The Mark…"

"It's part of his genetic code, Grace. It's just going to be a part of his life. He'll need you and his sisters to get him through."

"Glory and Lib can help too?"

Tilting his head, Cas seemed to debate what to say. "Yes, Glory can help in small amounts mostly because they shared a womb. She can take some of his pain away. Liberty seems to have inherited your abilities, but Glory will be a minor contributing factor as Everett grows older in calming him." Castiel broke eye contact with me and stared at his hands. "Have you had any dreams lately?"

I shook my head. "No," I replied, confused. "I haven't in awhile. I think it's because I'm so tired. And I'm giving so much away—to Dean and to Everett both."

"Have you begun to age again?"

"I really don't know. I can't tell."

We were silent and I did my best not to pry, but I felt my senses extending towards Castiel's thoughts anyway. "What's up, Cas?"

He glanced up at me and made a face. "You and Dean have both made it perfectly clear that you do not desire anymore children."

"And?"

"And," he said, hesitating only momentarily, "I have had dreams…of a fourth."

"What?" I was on my feet and pacing around before I realized what was happening. "What the fuck, Castiel! We can't have any more kids! Three! I have three kids! And they're all under three years old! Then I've got my sister's! That's four! Four kids, Cas. I'm exhausted."

He allowed me to yell and enunciate with my hands, flinging them all over the room, almost spilling coffee twice. I came to stop in front of him, feeling almost like I was about to cry. "Hear me out, Grace." I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down and listen. He took a deep breath, steadying himself for the discussion we were about to have. "Everett is going to be very difficult for you to handle alone. He will be the only son you produce, but your daughters…they hold the key to keeping him under control…to not losing him to The Mark the way Sam lost Dean for a time. Glory has the ability to keep Everett at bay, and Liberty's powers will help as well." He paused, licking his lips and leaning forward. "Your third daughter will have the ability to take The Mark from him as you do with Dean. She will be the only one with that power besides you."

"Cas, you're talking like it's already written. Like I'm pregnant again."

"You're not, but it has been."

I closed my eyes and moved away from him, steadying myself on the counter. "What if I say no? No more kids. What happens to Rhett?"

Cas' eyes were filled with sadness as he stared up at me from his place at the table. "Then he will follow the same path as Dean did before he met you. He will rebel. He will take off on his own, away from you, Glory and Liberty." Cas took a breath, folding his hands in front of himself on the breakfast table. "He will not find refuge, because you are the only nephilim in existence." I closed my eyes again, in pain as the angel continued. "The sister he chooses to confide in does not exist."

"Why? Why doesn't he choose Glory? Or Lib?"

"Because they are too much like Dean. They will try to control him, not to guide him." Cas stared at me as I pulled out the chair next to him and sat down, shock hitting me in a way that I wasn't prepared for. "Your fourth child will be your legacy, just as Everett is Dean's."

"She'll be a nephilim?"

He stared at me, closing his eyes, extending with his own senses. "There is no word for a child of a nephilim, because there has never been the opportunity to name one, but yes. She will inherit all of your angelic abilities and then some." He took a deep breath, reaching out to touch my arm as I laid my head on the table. "She will be the one to pull him back."

I looked up, resting my chin on the table as I stared at Castiel. "I can't lose my son."

"You don't have to."

…

"There's a man there now," Cade said over his phone behind the Small House. "I can smell him. He smells like her," he said, glancing back towards the Big House through the trees. "All of the cubs are there."

"Tomorrow morning, then," Cecelia's voice came over the speaker. "They follow the same routine each day. I heard them talking late last night…they think they're coming for us tomorrow afternoon." She laughed. "Let's take them before they have the chance."

…

"Hey, gorgeous," Dean greeted when I answered the phone.

Automatically, I smiled and replied, "Hey there, stranger."

"How's it going?" he asked, chewing on something. It was his lunchtime, after all. "Any sign of the wolves?"

I shook my head, wiping my face. Castiel had gone about an hour before, and I had spent the time in between Cas' visit and Dean's phone call with my goddammed face leaking because I couldn't get a grip that my son had a genetic Mark of Cain that could only be sated by a fourth child…I shook my head, willing my mouth to stay shut. We had enough to deal with right now. I didn't need Dean to have a coronary over the phone because we were destined to have _another_ child to fix the last one we had.

"No," I finally answered, wiping my face again. "No wolves. Although, I thought I saw one in the field this morning, but I called Cas to come and hang out with me, just to be safe."

"He still there?" he asked, taking a drink.

"Just left." I wandered towards the kitchen and pulled out a soda. I still hadn't gotten enough caffeine and I wasn't handling the latest angelic news well enough to pull off a conversation with my hyper-observant husband. "What are you doing right now?"

"Eating lunch. Doug brought me a sandwich," Dean replied, his mouth full. "Got the Buick done this morning and I was able to start on your sister's Wagoneer. Needs a name."

"How's it looking?" I asked, staring off into space.

"Good," he began. As he described the Wagoneer to me, I drifted off, listening to my children's thoughts as they slept. As usual, Liberty's thoughts were full of happiness: butterflies and flowers. Following Johnny through the house and playing with her dolls. Glory continued the happy streak with bright colors and her siblings' faces, including Levi's. I moved on to Everett's and I saw only my own face in a sea of gray and confusion. He was already so conflicted on how he should feel and he wasn't even seven months old yet. I was in pain for my son, knowing that he was going through the same desperation that Dean experienced as an adult. I closed my eyes as I made my decision. We had to save Everett. Dean would understand.

"She should have it by tomorrow afternoon," Dean finished, taking another bite of his sandwich. I didn't answer immediately, still immersed in my own thoughts, so Dean continued. "Gracie?"

"Yeah, that's great, babe," I said shaking my head. "Really great. She'll be excited."

"You okay?"

I was silent for more than a few seconds, seriously considering sharing my new information about Everett, but decided against it on a whim. I would hold this until we were done dealing with the werewolves. "I'm fine. I just miss you."

"Take care of my babies," Dean said, wrapping up the lunchtime phone call. "I'll see you tonight. Around five."

I nodded. "Okay, sounds good," I said, rubbing my face. "Five."

His thoughts poured into my head and I knew that my lie had not gone unnoticed. As I hung up the phone, I knew that he was already in full analyze mode, trying to figure out what I had lied about and why. That's one of the biggest problems I had, being married to a hunter. He didn't miss anything.

When Dean got home that evening, I did my best to avoid the conversation that we held over the phone earlier that day. Liberty was pouring water back and forth into different sized measuring cups, making a mess on the floor as I carried Everett around, stepping over the other two babies to greet him as he walked through the living room. "Hey gorgeous," he said, smiling lightly. I could hear him think as if he was speaking his thoughts aloud.

 _What happened, Grace?_

 _What aren't you telling me?_

 _It's still lying if you don't tell me._

I moved away from him, turning back to the kitchen as Liberty almost knocked me down, trying to get to Dean. "Hey, there, Meatloaf!" Dean greeted, picking her up and kissing her on the cheek. "Why are you so wet?"

"Makin' dinnoh," she declared happily, pointing back to her bowls and measuring cups.

Dean chuckled and put her down, walking towards the kitchen to see what she was pointing at. "Making dinner," he repeated, nodding. "Got it. What 'cha making?"

"Mac an' cheese," Libby answered. I walked towards the swing to finally put Everett down and scooped up Levi instead, who had begun to fuss. I glanced at the clock and opened a bottle, getting formula ready for his dinner.

"Grace," Dean's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

Inhaling sharply, I shook my head. "We'll talk about it after you guys take out the pack."

"No, we'll talk about it now," he said, his voice low. "It's not exactly fair that you're the only psychic around here. If I can't hide my feelings, then you aren't allowed to hide yours."

I stared at my husband, unwilling to open my mouth. Why the hell couldn't I lie to him?

"Words, Grace," he said, repeating the mantra he had learned over our years together. He leaned against the counter as he waited, folding his arms across his chest.

"Everett will get worse," I spat, my words coming out quickly and leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Dean stood up to his full height and turned to face me. "Worse? Worse how?"

I watched as he shrugged out of his flannel and threw it on the chair behind him. Once again, he leaned against the counter top and waited for me to speak. "I mean that unchecked, he'll follow your path, or at least the one you would have taken if I hadn't found you and eventually self-destruct. He'll get angrier and violent, and when he's old enough to steal one of our cars, he'll take off."

Dean set his jaw, refusing to meet my gaze. I knew he blamed himself; but really, there was no reason to blame anyone. Genetics were weird. This is just how Everett turned out. "Did you dream this?"

"Cas did."

That was truth enough for Dean. He nodded and rubbed his face with both of his hands. I stared down at my nephew as he ate and I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Dean's emotions paired with my own were overwhelming. I really needed to get a grip on how to control my (and others') feelings. I had to stop being so sponge-like.

Finally, Dean spoke, his voice ragged. "What do we do?"

"The girls can help a little…but Liberty only took on a bit of my psychic abilities and Glory will have some control over him, but aside from me, no one can really take The Mark from him. I'm the only nephilim in existence. It's not like he'll stumble upon some Fated-Love like we did."

"Grace, what do we do?" he repeated himself, knowing that I was simply filling silence with any words that I could grasp.

I stared out the kitchen window and watched the birds fly from the field, unwilling to look at my husband. "Cas brought up a way to help."

"And?"

"Our next child would be another daughter. She would inherit every one of my traits. She would be my legacy the way Rhett is yours." I continued to gaze out onto our field, "She will be the only other one that would be able to take The Mark from Everett the way I can to you." Turning to face him, I took a deep, ragged breath. "She would be the one to pull him back."

Dean was silent for a long time, watching Everett sleep in the swing across the room. Levi was done with his bottle and I turned him up to my shoulder to burp him. He nuzzled into my neck and brought his tiny hands down to tuck them under his body as he did every time I held him this way. "Cas told you? He dreamed about another girl?"

"We can still control it. We haven't made a choice."

"But she would save Everett."

I nodded.

"Then why are we still talking about it?"

I shook my head, "Dean, we would have four kids. Four."

He took a step towards me and lowered his head, staring into my eyes. "We leave Rhett unchecked, we're gonna end up with two."

I stared into my husband's green eyes; eyes that I saw in Liberty and in Glory and I nodded. "We save Everett."

He nodded and took another step towards me. "We save Everett," he repeated, touching my face.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Dean

All I could think about after my conversation with Grace was about our kids and how my fucking genetics had already screwed them up. Every step I took around the house that evening reminded me in rhythm with my footsteps, _You did this. You did this. You did this._ I closed my eyes and shook my head when Sam asked, "You okay?"

"Fine, man. Don't worry about it." I was incapable of telling my brother the truth.

He took Levi home and we were once again alone: my wife, my kids and me. I made a mental note to call Cas and have a discussion about this whole 'fourth kid' thing once we were done with the wolf pack.

Grace was in the living room, reading to Liberty and Everett, so I headed upstairs with Glory to get the final count of silver bullets and split them into clips, ready for our attack tomorrow. I pulled out my phone to call Serra and finalize our plan of attack. "Hey, it's me," I greeted when she picked up on the first ring.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I wanna make sure you've got your game face on. We're going tomorrow after work." I said, loading clips into the weapons that lay on the bed as Glory played on her blanket in the middle of our rug.

Serra's voice was excited, "Yeah, for sure. I'm only on the clock until three tomorrow. We can get gone late afternoon. They won't know we're coming."

I nodded. "That's the plan. I'm gonna bring the Wagoneer home tomorrow. Have Sam take you to work in the morning and I'll come and get you. Grace can always drop me at the shop the following morning so I can get the Impala."

"You mean the 'Shaggin' Wagon?'" she said, laughing.

I shook my head, closing my eyes. "Don't tell me stuff like that."

She laughed. "How many clips you got?"

Counting in my head, I answered, "Eleven. Not counting the ones you took home a couple of days ago."

"I brought home eight."

I nodded my approval. "So we're locked and loaded. Should be plenty." I looked around the room for my bag of weapon accessories. "You have suppressors for your .45s?"

"Yeah, but not for my .9 mil or my .38."

"I don't think you'll need either one. You're accurate with the .45s. If we go through those eight clips, we've got bigger problems than worrying about if we're heard or not."

Serra paused over the phone. "How's Grace?"

Making a face, I sat on the bed behind me, sighing as I did. "There's a lot to tell."

"Sam said you guys seemed tense when he came to get Levi," she ventured. "Are you two okay?"

I nodded, knowing that if the answer had been 'no,' Serra would have no issue going 'American Sniper' on me through our bedroom window. "We're fine, Serra. Everett is hard on her. We'll talk you guys through it after we're done with the pack. Priorities."

She seemed satisfied with my answer and finally said, "Alright. For now." She paused a beat and then continued, "Just keep in mind, Winchester: I can easily clear a shot from four hundred yards."

"That's…terrifying," I said, taking a deep breath, "but unnecessary."

"See you tomorrow at the hospital."

"Three o'clock," I confirmed.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Serra

Sam and I drove to work together the next day and I could feel the anxiety rolling off of him. He wasn't just nervous about the hunt, he was nervous about having me involved. I glanced at him, smiling gently. "We're gonna be fine, you know."

"No, I don't know," he said, refusing to make eye contact. "I don't like this."

"You don't have to like it, Sam."

He rolled his eyes at me and shook his head. "What's the final game plan?"

I explained, again, what Dean and I had discussed the night before and he nodded. "I guess that will have to do."

"Will have to do?" I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to stare at him. "What is with you lately? You have turned into the biggest pussy I have ever met."

Offended, Sam turned towards me and puffed out the breath of air he held. "Great, thanks. Real mature, Serra."

"Seriously, Sam!" I yelled, "You weren't like this when we met! You had a backbone! You took what you wanted. You put an effort into life!"

He closed his eyes and shook his head as we waited for the red light to change. "Jesus, Serra, where do you get off? I told you when we started dating that I didn't want to be a hunter. The only reason I was in it was because Dean dragged me, kicking and screaming. And yeah, I was good at it, but a lot of shit went down from when we started to now, and I was kinda hoping that we could just fucking deal with life without monsters for a change." He stared at me, his forehead wrinkled in anger. "I died last year. Grace and Cas came to get me from Heaven." He enunciated each word as if he was talking to a child. Tilting my head, I watched him as he continued to rant. "A pussy? I became a father this year, and now that I'm back from the dead, I would like to live long enough to enjoy my time with my son and my wife."

I was so turned on. Finally, after months of thinking that Sam was just going to lie down and take it, he was finally defending himself.

"Jesus, Serra," he repeated, "I thought you of all people would understand where I was coming from. You practically died last year, too. Grace had to bring you back." He glanced at me, his face red. "I want a normal life. I want more kids, and I want to live long enough to see them grow."

Pulling into the parking structure of the hospital, he went up to the third story and parked next to the staff elevator to drop me off. As soon as he put the El Camino in park and pulled the key, I pushed him over, pulling his hips towards mine and bringing his legs up onto the seat. His entire mood shifted and he laughed, laying his head against the door. "What are you doing?"

"I have," I checked the watch I wore and grinned, "eight minutes until I have to clock in. That's more than enough time."

"Wait, wait, wait," he said, still laughing, "first you call me a pussy and now you're jumping me in the hospital parking structure?"

"You finally fought back," I said, attacking his neck in the best possible way. "You stood up to me. It does things to me."

I yanked his belt and pulled off my scrubs, trying not to rip them. In one motion, he flipped the both of us, so that he was leaning over me, kissing me deeply. He glanced up, taking a breath and grinning at me, his dimple showing and it drove me wild. He stared out the windows of the El Camino and laughed. "Someone's gonna see us," he said, laughing.

"No one else gets here until seven thirty," I answered, pulling his face back down to mine. "Shut up and make it fast. You've got five minutes." We fucked, hard, and before we knew it, we were both sighing with contentment, collapsed around each other. I pulled my arm out from under Sam and checked it, laughing. "See, now, I'm late."

"Well, find your shirt and get the hell out of here."

I slapped his chest and pulled my scrubs back on. "Glad we got that all fucked out," I said, giggling to myself. I glanced at my husband and kissed him once more. "Dean's bringing the Wagoneer today. We're heading to the motel at three."

"I'll meet you guys over there. My last class is at 2:00."

Nodding, I grabbed my bag and slammed the door to the El Camino. "Love you!" I yelled over my shoulder as I trotted to the elevator.

The day passed uneventfully and we got closer and closer to the end of my shift. I ate lunch around 11:30 and cuddled babies until 1:00. There wasn't much that could ruin my mood.

…

"Cece is heading towards the farm to take care of the Alpha along with Dylan and Cade. I'm going with you to the hospital and you two can go for the body shop where Alpha's mate is."

"If you wait long enough," Dylan said, "Alpha's mate will meet Beta at the hospital. We would have greater numbers."

Edgar shook his head. "No, Alpha's mate is Marked. He is strong alone, stronger together with the other hunters. We need to make sure they do not unite."

Dylan nodded, licking his lips. "Divided, they fall."

"Let's do this," Cece said, moving towards the door. She flew out, shifting in mid-leap and ran down the road towards the fields that connected, hiding in plain sight, all the way to the city.

…

Constantly glancing at the clock is the best way to make sure that time slows down. I paced around the nursery, checking and rechecking the babies that were under my care at the moment, all of them stable and happy. I leaned on the counter, tapping my nails on the granite and glanced at the clock again. 2:12.

Claudia came into the nursery; clipboard in hand, closely followed by Alana and Lindsey. They grinned at me and Alana shook her head, obviously disappointed in something that Claudia had done again. She wasn't the brightest nurse's assistant that we had ever hired. The elevator on our secured floor dinged and we barely looked up. "Hey, ladies, what's happening?"

Alana smiled and gestured, "Taking Claudia on my rounds, trying to get her to remember the new kids without having to check her notes."

I glanced up through the tempered glass and wired window and stared at the overly large, scarred man in front of me. A moment of recognition flashed through my mind. It was the man that had almost seen Dean and me as we ran around the corner of the motel a few nights before. He was here, staring me in the face. There was a werewolf in my ward. I glanced down the hallway and my eyes went wider as I glimpsed a smaller man at his rear flank. Make that two.

Two werewolves in my ward.

"Shit," I said under my breath. He grinned, knowing he had me trapped. I could hear the double door click as Claudia scanned her security card to exit the nursery. "Claudia, freeze."

She stopped moving and glanced slowly back at me. "What's the matter, Serra?"

"Lock it down, now," I said quietly. I could see Claudia raise her eyebrows, questioning me. Alana stepped in front of her, taking her security card from her hands and slamming the double door closed again. She knew better than Claudia and didn't waste time wondering what the problem was. She and Lindsey knew enough about me and my family to trust what I was saying when I said it. Lindsey's hand shot out, slamming down on the red button near the exit. I looked around expectantly, waiting for the alarms to begin and lock down the hospital.

Nothing happened.

"Shit," I repeated, as the larger of the two men approached. I turned to Alana and Lindsey. "Get away from the glass," I said, edging my way to my leather bag, in the back of the nursery.

"What's happening, Serra?" Alana asked quietly, eyeing the man on the other side of the glass. He began pacing like a caged animal, back and forth in front of the window. "Who is that?"

I stared as he paced, running through a plan of action in my head. This isn't what I was prepared for. "Not who," I said, as he hit the glass with his fist out of frustration, "what is a better question."

"What?" Alana stared as the big werewolf hit the glass again. "Okay, what is he?"

I pulled one of my .45s from my purse and checked the clip, taking the safety off and sticking it in the waistband of my scrubs. "He's a werewolf," I replied quietly as the other man began pounding on the glass, trying to find a weak spot. "They both are. They've been hunting us for weeks." I dug through my purse, still looking for my other gun.

"You've got a gun in a hospital?" Claudia's shrill voice came through the pounding.

Finally, I pulled my other silver-on-black, specialty Colt .45 out of my bag. "Actually," I said, sliding the clip back into place as I heard the tempered glass window crack, "I've got two."

"Werewolves?" Lindsey said, panic seeping into her voice. "What are you going to do, Serra?"

One of the babies began to cry as the pounding continued. "I'm going to kill them. You are going to move the babies as far back into the NICU as you can. There's a lot of room in the back because everyone has been so healthy lately."

"Serra…" Lindsey said, watching the men pound on the glass, making slow progress. "He's gonna come through the glass."

"I know," I said, spinning my first suppressor into the gun barrel of the Colt I held. I wanted to do this as quietly as I could.

Claudia shrieked in fright as one of his arms came through the wire and glass, bloodying his hand. He shifted while his arm was through the window and a small part of my brain wondered how he managed to do it on command. "Go!" I shouted to the women surrounding me, "Get them back!"

The girls began rolling the cribs away from the glass, trying to stay out of reach as I spun the second suppressor onto my other gun. I took a deep breath and popped my neck, taking one gun in each hand. _Alright,_ I thought to myself. _B_ _ring it._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Dean

I was on my back under the Wagoneer, making sure the belts were tight enough before I headed out to get Serra. We needed to be able to get away in a hurry if it came down to it. Hearing footsteps, I paused and glanced at the feet, trying to see if it was Doug or Eric. I didn't recognize the shoes, so I pulled myself out from under the car and greeted the man standing at the foot of the truck.

"Hey, man," I said, "sorry. Customers aren't allowed back here. Safety is a big thing here." I stared up at him momentarily and narrowed my eyes as realization hit me. He _smelled_ different. I didn't know if it was The Mark or just my years as a hunter, but I _knew_ he was a werewolf before I actually had the conscious thought. I pushed the ground with all my might and sent myself flying on the creeper under the Wagoneer, clear to the other side and rolled, throwing myself to my feet and grabbing the tire iron from my tool chest at the end of my garage.

He was on me, just as fast, shifting in mid-air as he jumped. I watched in awe as he transformed in mid-day, in a waning moon cycle. "Oh, you're some new kind of freak, aren't you?" I asked, backing up and trying to figure out how to get my gun out of the trunk of my Impala. "Where are the rest of your thugs?"

Growling menacingly at me, he lunged, trying to get a piece of me as I jumped away. I swiped the tire iron as he dove, slamming the metal on the back of his skull. It hit with a thud and the wolf yelped, jumping away from me. Circling me, he growled and lunged again, going for my throat. I jumped out of the way, slamming the beast into my tool chest, causing quite a scene.

Doug came running out of his office, yelling, "Dean! Deano, are you okay?" He came to a stop in the middle of the bay, staring at the werewolf, raising his eyebrows. "Holy shit, what is that?"

"Doug! Run!" I yelled, trying to tackle the wolf from behind as he took off after my boss and I just about slammed my head into the cement as I missed. "Doug!" I shouted, getting to my feet and tearing off, after the werewolf. It cornered Doug in his office and I came to a stop in the doorway. "Don't let it bite you, Doug. There's no cure."

"Are you fucking serious?" he yelled back, circling behind his desk. The werewolf snarled and lunged as I threw a desk chair into his path. It turned on me again and all I could think as I prepared myself for the attack was that my wife and kids were home alone, not knowing that they were coming for us before we had a chance to come after them.

…

There was a scratch at the back door and Grace didn't even consider it an issue. She reached for the sliding glass door with Everett in her arms and Johnny barked from the run he laid on, in the middle of the living room. Gasping, Grace took a step back, realizing that it wasn't the black lab. The scratching persisted and Grace took a step back as the breeze picked up through the house, blowing the curtain away from the window.

There, staring back at her, were three sets of eyes. "Shit," she said, turning towards the kids and running to scoop them up from the ground. "Liberty! Come here!"

Libby stood from her spot on the couch and looked at her mother, confused. "Momma?"

"Now, Lib! Right now!" Liberty ran to her mother's side, sensing the distress. Grace shot a look to the slider and realized that there was a slim chance of her being able to carry all three infants at the same time. She extended her arms, shoving Everett into Liberty's hands. "Hold onto him. Get him downstairs, now. Go to Auntie Jody's room." Liberty struggled under Everett's weight and he began to cry as his sister attempted to lug him down the stair well.

Bending down to pull Levi and Glory from their spots on the rug, Grace could hear glass break as the werewolves let themselves in. She had just enough time to put the kids in the crib inside of the panic room and push Liberty through the door and slam it behind her, leaving herself exposed at the bottom of the steps as she heard the glass crash to the floor.

Breathing hard, she listened for footsteps above her. She could hear the panic room's master lock slide into place automatically, sealing the kids inside. Smiling lightly to herself, she took a deep breath. "Alright, assholes. Let's do this."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Serra

"Move, Claudia, move!" I was yelling as she rolled the bassinet away from the window, but getting startlingly close to the monster that waited there. He had managed to get his whole arm through the window, but I still hesitated taking a shot, not wanting to risk breaking the window and allowing them to jump through, unguarded. Standing in front of Alana and Lindsey, I knew they wouldn't make it long in the nursery like sitting ducks, but I didn't want to abandon the women with the babies. There was another exit at the end of the NICU, but I wanted to make sure the werewolves followed me, not Alana or Lindsey. Half of my brain wanted to use Claudia as bait, but Grace was there, in my head, scolding me for such a thought.

I turned to my friends, "You guys stay here. Keep this door shut, no matter what. I'm gonna try and lead them away from the nursery. I know it's me they're trying to take out. Hunker down and don't follow me."

Alana shook her head. "Don't be stupid, Serra," she said, tears coming to her eyes. "You can't take on both of them!"

"I've got two guns," I said, smiling. "One for each of them."

Moving up closer to the glass, I waved and smiled with my pistol. "Tell you what," I shouted, moving towards the NICU, I'll meet you at the open door at the end of the hall." He breathed through his snout, sending hot air against the glass, fogging the window. "Come on," I teased, making a mockery of walking towards the exit. The bigger wolf pulled his arm free of the glass and moving with me to the end of the nursery. I took off towards the exit, full run, and tried to get there before the wolves did.

Sliding to a stop, I pushed the steel reinforced door open and carefully peeked around the corner and I could hear them, I just couldn't see them. Without warning, the door whipped open, sending me flying into the hall, and I rolled to my feet, slamming the security door shut with my foot, keeping them out of the NICU.

I didn't waste any time. I fired three shots into the smaller werewolf and he screamed in pain as blood landed on the tile below him. He took off down the hall, blood dripping as he ran. I fired another shot as he ran, dropping him in the hall. Turning to face the bigger one, I fired my last three bullets from my first gun into the chest. It only seemed to piss him off and he rushed me, claws flying, and I dove out of the way.

My empty gun went sliding down the hall tile on impact and I turned, trying to pull my second gun out from the waistband of my scrubs. He swiped at my arm, and I dropped my second gun. Rolling out of the way of his claws again, I did everything I could to keep him from biting or scratching me.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Grace

Creeping to the top of the stairs, I listened for the pack. There were three, I knew, from the first glance outside. _Seems fair,_ I thought, hugging the wall as I climbed. Reaching the top step, I could hear the wolves pad up the stairs to the bedrooms, so I took the opportunity to run to the weapons' safe in the dining room. I grabbed the door and opened it silently and grabbed the silver angel blade and my mother-of-pearl handled .45. Holding one in each hand, I stood to my full height and closed my eyes, listening. They were circling through the bedrooms, expecting to find the kids sleeping in their cribs or for me to be in our bedroom. I tiptoed through the house, barefoot, and checked the clip in my gun, hoping that Dean had the foresight to load my gun with silver as well.

Of course he did.

I took the safety off The Judge and crept up the steps, pausing slightly midway up the climb. I listened to the werewolves trot back and forth from bedroom to bedroom. I raised my gun and fired once as the smallest wolf came out of Glory's bedroom. With a yelp, he hit the floor, and the other two werewolves came leaping into the hall, shifting back into human form at will. "Dylan!" a woman's voice was screaming, "Dylan, talk to me!"

Another voice came then, deeper and more mature. "He's gone, Cece," he said, growling under his breath. "That bitch."

I prepared myself and watched as he shifted without a second thought and trotted into the middle of the bridge that connected our bedrooms at the top of the stairs. He turned suddenly, seeing me on the steps and I lifted my .45, aiming at his head. He launched himself into the air, tackling me and we rolled down the steps, my hands keeping his face away from mine, still gnashing his teeth and snarling. The female was right behind, following us down the steps and growling and crying in an inhumane way. I pulled my angel blade and swiped his face, pushing him off of me as I stood and turned towards my gun that had sailed across the hardwood.

They were both on me at once and backed me into the corner of the room. The female launched herself at my throat and I held up my hand, palm out, thinking I would be able to stop her from tackling me. Instead, a force wave threw itself out into open space, knocking both of the wolves out of the air, mid leap. I smiled to myself and shook my head, still constantly surprised by my own abilities.

Diving for my gun, I turned and fired twice more at the female as she tried to get up and run back up the steps. She yelped and continued to run, limping and bleeding across my hardwood floor. The larger male snarled at me and lunged and I emptied my clip into his chest.

I grabbed my blade and took off upstairs after the female. One on one, I could handle.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Dean

"Doug, don't move," I was saying, thinking hard about how to get out of this fuckfest of a situation. This wasn't the plan. _Why couldn't anything ever go according to plan?_

The lone werewolf growled, his head low and angry as he leapt for Doug. He tackled him to the ground, pinning him down with his jaws around his neck. Turning and facing me, the wolf seemed to smile, toying with me. "Get the fuck off of him," I said quietly, glancing around the room. Doug had an affinity for nicer things, hence his collection of vintage cars. Under the glow of the fluorescent lights, I saw a glint of something metal on his desk. There was a moment's hesitation as I jumped up onto the desk. If I was wrong, I ran the risk of getting bitten myself.

I took the chance.

Grabbing the shining silver letter opener from Doug's desk, I leapt off of the mahogany and drove it between the shoulder blades of the werewolf as it stood over Doug. It yelped and cried as I pushed it as far as it would go into its' spine and let go, heaving the wolf off of Doug and throwing him across the room. "Doug, talk to me man," I gasped, throwing the desk chair out of the way as well. "Did it bite you? Did it draw blood?"

Doug was gasping for air, his face red with exertion. The almost-seventy-year-old leaned on his elbows as I knelt beside him, supporting his shoulders and head. I couldn't see any blood, but that didn't always mean we were in the clear. I flashed to Grace getting shot in the woods, so many years ago, and remembered that she didn't bleed right away, either.

"Doug, you've gotta say something," I said changing positions on the ground. "Doug?"

"Dean," he said, supporting his own weight, finally. "What the hell was that?"

"That was a little snapshot into my past," I said, helping him to his feet. "Are you okay?"

He inspected himself, staring down at his suit, and moving his fingers. "I think so. It clamped down hard on my throat, but it's like it was waiting for you."

"Yeah, I got the same feeling," I said, backing away. "Look, Doug, I'll explain everything later, but I've gotta go, man."

Nodding slightly, he answered vaguely. "Yeah, sure."

I bolted out the door to his office, jumping over the dead werewolf, and pulled out my phone, dialing Grace. "Pick up, baby. Pick up," I whispered, running at full tilt. I ripped open the door to my car and started her up, peeling rubber as I pulled out of the parking lot. Grace's phone rang over and over, and finally, getting her voicemail, I hung up and dialed Sam.

"Hey," he said, answering on the second ring. "Thought you would be on the way to pick up Serra."

"They attacked today," I yelled, breathless into the speaker. "A werewolf just attacked me at the shop. No one attacked you?"

"Holy shit," Sam yelled back. "No! I haven't seen anything!"

"There was only one with me," I said, shaking my head and pushing the Impala to her limits. "That means the rest of the pack went after the girls." I glanced at the odometer as I passed a cop headed the other way on the highway. Watching him in the mirror, I let go of the gas pedal long enough to decide if he was going to follow me or not. He continued in his direction, so I floored it once again. "You're easily ten minutes closer to the Big House. Go to Grace. I'll go for Serra."

Nodding, Sam said, "Got it," and whipped the wheel of his El Camino around, headed for his sister-in-law.

…

I whipped into the parking lot of the hospital and left my car in the first handicap spot I pulled into and ran the steps, three at a time to get to the fourth floor. When I slammed the door open, I got angry stares from offended people that I would cause such a ruckus on the neo-natal floor. I trotted passed the informational desk and glanced around, hesitating on pulling my gun and having the cops called on me. _Maybe they're not here yet?_ I thought to myself as I jogged down the hall. I rounded the familiar corner to the NICU and had flashes of memories shoot through my head from Liberty's stay right after she was born.

The windows of the nursery were dark and as I approached, I could see there was a hole in the reinforced safety glass. The nursery had been attacked. I turned slowly, surveying the damage. There were glass shards on the ground and blood drips, but that may have been from the werewolves breaking through the window. "Dean!" I heard my name echo through the hall and whipped around, expecting to see Serra, but Dr. Alana ran to greet me, her mascara smeared with tears.

"Alana," I greeted, "where's Serra?"

She was shaking her head as I turned to look at the movement through the window. Dr. Lindsey and a woman I recognized from Lib's stay in the NICU were on the other side of the glass, in the nursery, staring back at me.

I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her ever so slightly. "Alana, focus. Where is Serra?"

"Those things—they attacked us and then Serra pulled out two guns!" She was pretty close to hysterical. "They tried to come through the glass and Serra…she told us to stay in the nursery with the babies and she took off!"

"Where?" I insisted.

"Through the NICU. There's a security door at the end that she led them towards."

I took off at a run, yelling back at Alana. "How many?"

"Two!"

"Get back in the nursery!" I shouted, "Stay put until we come back to get you!"

…

I rounded the corner and stopped short, seeing blood everywhere. Pulling my Colt out of the back of my pants, I kicked off the safety and slowed down, trying to control my breathing and listening hard for movement. The blood pattern was telling…a scuffle and shots fired…a tackle through the blood splatter and a roll. I paused at the security door that led to the NICU. It was sealed shut with no blood on it, so whatever happened, happened after Serra slammed the door again. I glanced up and saw the body of a werewolf, stuck in it's shifted form. From where I stood, Serra had gotten it three times, twice in the chest and once in the neck as it tried to turn tail and run.

Following the blood trail, I came to the end of the hall, where there was an emergency exit with stairs that I knew was never used. It didn't even have an alarm. I had used the stairwell countless times when Grace was in the hospital after Lib was born because it was the fastest route to the parking garage. As I approached, I saw one of Serra's guns, the suppressor still attached, up against the edge of the door. I bent to pick it up, checking the clip.

Empty.

I tucked her gun into the back of my pants and pushing the door open gently, I listened for echoes with my own gun at the ready.

I could hear the growls and grunts from both Serra and the werewolf she fought a floor or two below me. I took the steps three at a time on my way down to help my sister.

One of the largest werewolves I had ever seen was thrown against the railing, blood pouring from a wound on its neck. As it fell against the bars, I unloaded three rounds, hoping to at least graze it as it leaned. I missed completely, but at least I drew its attention away from Serendipity for the moment.

"Serra!" I shouted, "Are you okay?"

There was a growl loud enough to drown out her response, if she had one. I took the next two flights quickly, trying to catch up to her. The sound of a door crashing open and shut again told me they had made it into the parking structure.

Diving through the exit, I watched as Serra held the angel blade that Grace had given her and defend herself in a way I had never seen. She moved with lightning speed and agility, bouncing around so fast that it was hard to follow her. The werewolf was wounded countless times and dripped blood as he attempted again and again to bite or scratch her. She was always too quick, dodging out of the way at the last second.

The wolf must have smelled me. He turned slowly, breathing heavily and seemed to smile, thinking I was a new and easy target. I pulled my Colt and at the same time, tossed Grace's tiny .38 special high into the air. "Serra, catch," I yelled as I raised my own gun. She caught it easily out of the air and aimed. I only had one other round left in my .45, but Serra was, once again, considered armed and dangerous.

We fired at the same time; my Colt unleashed a hit to the werewolf's shoulder, twisting it on impact, bringing him to the ground in slow motion. From twenty yards away, Serendipity unloaded the .38, all six shots dug deep into its head. With a final thump, it hit the ground, warped and broken.

I finally looked up at Serra and sighed, happy to see her in one piece. She smiled, exhausted, and walked towards me, limping slightly as she approached. "Are you okay? Did it bite you?"

She shook her head, reaching for my shoulder for support. "No, no, I'm clean. Fucker took me down the steps, hard the first two floors and bent my fucking knee back weird. Pretty sure I tore a ligament or two."

I stared down at her, checking her for other damage. She was bleeding pretty profusely from her scalp and had a few bruises beginning to show across her face through the dirt and sweat, but other than that, she was smiling.

"Come on, sister. We ain't done yet," I said, leading her back through the parking garage towards the Impala.

She glanced up at me and hobbled to the passenger side. "Is Grace okay?"

"I don't know," I said, "I haven't been able to get a hold of her. I sent Sam."

"I'm surprised you didn't go to her first," she said, reaching under the seat for more ammo. She loaded the .38 with the hollow points that were under the seat.

Shaking my head, I pushed my car to her limits again. Her engine roared as we flew down the highway, back towards the Big House. "Didn't have the time. Sam was closer."

"How many came for you?" she asked, taking her gun out of my pants without a thought and taking off the suppressor.

"One," I answered, glancing at her.

She made a face, terror gripping her in much the same way it had me. "Two for me."

"Three for Grace," I finished, setting my jaw.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Grace

The house was silent except for the thoughts from my kids that filled my head as I searched for the last werewolf, hidden somewhere in my house. Liberty was calm; she had discovered a coloring book from when she and Jody played together in the panic room, countless times before. Glory was asleep, comforted by her cousin's presence as Levi slept beside her. Everett had been crying since the battle began. His anger rattled through my brain making it hard for me to concentrate. He lay next to Liberty, screaming at the top of his lungs, but because the kids were all used to him being close to inconsolable, it didn't seem to bother them.

I tuned him out, knowing they were safe behind the iron door, and continued my search upstairs. I was out of bullets, but I had my blade, and if I could destroy fourteen vampires next to my sister with my hands and my knife, then one werewolf wouldn't be able to stop me.

I got to the top of the stairs and weighed my options. I knew she understood that the kids were safe, hidden away in a place she couldn't get to, so her only focus was on me. Hesitating in the breezeway, I listened hard, my senses were on high alert, so much that I could distinguish each kid's heartbeat from two stories above them.

I turned, catching a whiff of something unfamiliar. The fans were on, circulating the air throughout the house. Heading back towards the bedroom I shared with my husband, I could see her reflection in the full-length mirror in the back of the room. She stood erect, back to human form and was completely nude.

"Dean Winchester killed my family," she said, her jaw set and her hair amiss.

I lifted my blade, pointing it at the woman. "Yeah, well, Grace Winchester is about to kill _you_ ," I said, approaching her slowly.

She looked up with tears in her eyes. "He took everything from me! My parents! My sister!" she gasped for air and ran at me, leaping up into the air and shifting back into a werewolf as she did so. I dove out of the way, keeping my blade close and she was on me in a heartbeat, gnashing and snarling as she attacked. Kicking her hard, I sent her flying across the room, breaking the mirror she had been in front of, only seconds before.

I could hear the rumble of an engine as I fought and I tried to distinguish if it was the Impala or the El Camino. I couldn't tell them apart when I was locked in battle with a raging werewolf lunatic, but a few minutes later, I didn't have to. "Grace!" I could hear Sam's voice echo through the house as he pounded inside. "Grace!"

The werewolf attacked again and we rolled across the room. Every time I tried to get my palm down on her head, she tried to bite me, sending me into a defensive position. I swung my blade at her again and again, to no avail. "Sam!" I shouted, trying to be loud enough to hear over the fight. "Sammy!"

He threw himself up the stairs and joined the fight, but as she let go to attack him, I slashed at her hip with my blade, cutting open her thigh. She turned her attention back to me and at a full run, tackled me hard enough to send us both through the second story window.

We seemed to fall in slow motion, turning and twisting in mid-air, her fangs dangerously close to my face and neck. We landed, rolling, into the field below and she got up, not missing a beat and tried to take off into the grass. I was on her in a second, right on her tail when all of a sudden, I could hear the Impala's engine roaring up the road. Grinning, I knew she was headed straight for it.

I pushed harder, chasing her right passed the Small House and into the wheat across the road from the house. We tore through the field and burst out into the highway, right in front of the Impala, with Dean behind the wheel. He made eye contact with me, glanced at the werewolf and didn't slow down, hitting her doing about eighty miles an hour, and sending her flying into the air.

I knew Serra didn't even wait for the car to stop before she was out in the middle of the road, raising her gun and hitting the werewolf six times in rapid succession, clustered in her chest as she tried to run. I caught up at the exact right time; she stumbled, only slowed down by Serra's shots. They must not have been silver.

As I reached her, she fell into me, still snarling and I sunk my silver blade deep into her spine, getting a sharp gasp as Dean joined the fight. He grabbed her by the shoulders, pushing her to the ground and Serra stood above her, holding her .38 level, completely reloaded and ready to fire.

Finally, she collapsed, bleeding out into the highway. "You," she whispered, staring up at Dean.

"Yeah, me," he said, narrowing his eyes, staring back down at her. "Am I supposed to know you?"

At last, she breathed her last and I collapsed next to her body, lying in the middle of the road, completely spent. "Are you okay, Gracie?" Serra asked, bending to my side. "Did she bite you?"

I shook my head, struggling to open my eyes. "No," I answered. "Did they go after you, too?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I got two. Dean got one." Serra smiled. "You're the lucky bitch that got to take on three by yourself."

"Kids okay?" Dean asked, bending to help me up.

"Yeah," I breathed. "I threw them in the panic room as I heard them coming." I smiled to myself. "Everett is probably still crying."

Pulling me from the ground, Dean wrapped me into a hug and supported my weight. Serra hugged the both of us and we dragged ourselves to the car. Dean dumped me into the passenger seat and headed back to the middle of the road, rolling the werewolf to the side and pulling the angel blade from her back. He wiped it on her fur and got into the Impala, putting her back into gear and handing me my knife.

"We'll let animal control deal with this one," he said, smiling lightly. He put the car in gear and tore off, headed for the Big House.

…

Serra pulled out her phone and talked to Alana and Lindsey, telling them we were okay and that the werewolves were dead, and Dean checked in with Doug, telling him he would be in later that night to clean up the mess left by the wolf in the shop.

I listened to the conversation with my eyes closed, "Dean, don't worry, man, we already had animal control come in here and take care of it. The insurance on the shop will pay for the damage." Doug paused and took a breath, chuckling lightly, "You saved my life, son."

Smiling, Dean nodded, "Anytime, Dougie. I'm gonna call it a day and spend the rest of it with my kids and my wife. That okay?"

"I'd be upset if you didn't." He paused, taking another deep breath. "I heard about what happened at the hospital. Alana told me."

I opened my eyes and watched Dean's reaction. He eyed me slightly as we turned into our driveway in front of the Big House. "She's okay, right?"

"Thanks to the Winchesters," Doug replied. "Not just a grease monkey, huh?"

My husband chuckled and put the Impala in park, holding the phone in between his ear and his shoulder. "Yeah, you could say that."

"We'll talk more tomorrow, son. Go hug your babies."

"Thanks, Doug."

He pulled the keys from the car and Serra leapt out, heading for Sam as he came down the steps to the porch, holding Levi. They hugged, almost falling into the tall grass that surrounded the steps. Johnny came tumbling out, with Liberty hot on his tail.

I ran to Lib, arms out, and she grinned as I picked her up. Running up the steps, I checked on Glory and Everett. Sam had taken all the kids out of the panic room and Glory was in her highchair, eating puffy snacks while Everett cried, lying on his back in the middle of the carpet.

"Everett, it's okay," I said, bending to pick him up as well. "You're okay."

Libby petted her brother's head and immediately, he nuzzled into my neck, rubbing his face on my skin. He was hot to the touch and exhausted, considering how long he probably cried. Dean followed me in, greeting Lib as he walked past, kissing her on the head as he continued to Glory. "Hey, Cheese Puff," he said, lifting her out of her high chair. She squealed in delight at his touch and he glanced towards me, holding her close.

My family was safe. I sighed a breath of relief and closed my eyes, leaning towards my kids.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Serra

The mess in the Big House was something that none of us wanted to deal with yet, so we packed up all of the Winchester kids and headed over to the Small House, ordering pizza and laying on whatever piece of furniture we happened to get to first.

"Mother _fucker_ , my knee hurts," I mumbled into the couch cushion I laid on.

Grace's voice floated up into the air. She was on the floor with Everett and Glory, both of them obsessed with being as close as they could be to her. "You tore your meniscus. You're gonna need surgery."

"Awesome," I replied, rolling to my back. Sam sat at the end of the couch, so I lifted my leg over him and plopped it down into his lap. He put a pillow under my knee, trying to keep it elevated.

"I could just heal it, you know."

My sister stared at me and grinned. "Why didn't you bring that up before?" I asked, my voice going up an octave.

She shook her head. "This is all still new, kiddo," she sighed. "Hold on a second and I'll take care of that."

"Want another beer?" Dean asked, getting up as I moved slowly closer to my sister. Sam turned and nodded, Grace put her thumb into the air and I raised my hand. He walked to the fridge and pulled out four more bottles and popped them open, bringing them to each of us. "Alright," he said as he sat back down into the rocker near the door. "Why didn't majority of them come for me and Sam? She seemed to really hate me."

"Matriarchal society," Grace mumbled from the floor as she put her hands on my injured knee. There was warmth in her palms and a slow glow under her hands as my knee stitched itself back together. After her work was finished, she leaned against the couch to continue as if she hadn't just performed a miracle. "They saw me and Serra as Alpha and Beta. You guys were just our mates. Easiest way to exact revenge was to kill us and the kids."

Dean pursed his lips, fighting a smile. "So who is Alpha?"

"I am," Grace said, rolling her eyes. "Obviously."

From my place on the couch, I laughed. "What makes you Queen Bitch?"

She rolled to her back, her shirt riding up slightly to reveal her sugar skull tattoo on her hip. Its color had returned slightly and she had a bit more curve to her, just as I remembered her having before she stopped aging. She smiled as she stretched. "I'm the oldest and the strongest; obviously the better fighter."

Sammy laughed and muttered, "Uh-oh," under his breath.

"Older, yes. Better fighter? Stop imagining things," I said, sitting up enough to take a drink. The pain in my knee was gone and I felt instantly better. "You look more like yourself, Gracie," I said quietly, changing subjects. "Not the sixteen year old you, the thirty year old you."

She looked up at me and smiled slightly. "Yeah, I think so too. I stopped directly touching Dean's Mark." She glanced at him and winked. "I think it's helping."

I watched Dean smile lightly back at my sister and then break eye contact and stare at his beer. It was the first time I had ever noticed Dean not hold her gaze. There was something under that look and we had just been through one of the biggest monster fights of our lives. Now was not the time for secrets. "What's up, Deano?" I asked, staring at my brother-in-law. "What are you hiding?"

He took a deep breath, glancing again at Grace as she stood to put Glory into the crib next to Levi. Stepping over Liberty, who snored quietly on the pile of blankets on the floor, she turned and picked up Everett as well. There was a moment of communication between husband and wife and she seemed to give her consent as she carefully laid Everett in between the other two babies. I continued to stare at the pair of them, waiting for the explanation I had expected since the night before when I had spoken to Dean over the phone.

Sam noticed as well. He stared at his brother and then down at me, knowing that I knew something, I just hadn't revealed that to him yet. "What is it, Dean?" he asked, finally breaking the silence that filled the room.

Dean glanced at Grace as she walked across the living room and sat down in the chair next to me. "Cas and Grace had a discussion the other day about Everett," he started, his voice low and emotional.

"A discussion?" I asked, looking from Dean to Grace and back again. "What kind of discussion?"

Grace took a breath and spoke, her voice clear and strong. I knew that whatever was plaguing my family's mind; a decision had already been made. "Rhett is a genetic copy of Dean, right down to The Mark of Cain," she began, folding her hands in her lap and leaning forward. "He's angry and confused all of the time and when he's apart from me too long, it causes him physical pain because his Mark is just like Dean's. It turns into self-loathing and outright hatred if I don't absorb it."

Dean was staring at the floor, holding his beer in one hand, listening to his wife speak. I sat up, turning towards my sister and furrowed my eyebrows. "Oh my God, Grace. What are you going to do?"

Taking over the story, Dean glanced up at me, raising his eyebrows at me and Sam. "Cas had a vision," he began, leaning back in his chair, "of me and Grace having another kid. The next one would be another girl and she would be Grace's genetic duplicate." He took a swig from his bottle of beer and pressed his lips together. "She would inherit all of her abilities and she would be the one to pull Everett back." He paused and shook his head, "Just like Grace did for me."

Sam was shaking his head, "What if you don't want another kid? You guys were talking about being done."

"Then we start to lose Everett," he said quietly. "Think about how I was, Sam. Think about what I did before I met Grace. Now picture that, unchecked and part of his genetic code. He can't escape it. It'll destroy him."

"Then what are you still doing here," I asked, gesturing to the door. "Go fuck. Get knocked up. Save my nephew." Despite the situation, Dean and Grace smiled, making eye contact and holding it. I'm sure Grace was hearing Dean think all kinds of things that I didn't want to hear, but I smiled anyway. "How long can he wait?"

Grace shook her head, shrugging. "The sooner the better, Cas said, but he won't start to get really bad until three or four. We can afford to wait, I think. Spread them out a little?"

It was my turn to shake my head, "Grace, think about it. The terrible twos are awful for _normal_ kids. What happens when Ev doesn't get his way? Or if he fights with Lib and Glory? Or Levi?" I looked at Dean for back up, "You get what I'm saying, right? He won't just self-destruct. He could take any of them down with him."

Dean licked his lips and took another drink. Grace turned to him as if he was speaking and I knew he had turned the conversation inward, speaking only to his psychic wife. She stared at him momentarily and tears came to her eyes. She nodded and looked away, glancing back at me. "You're right. Of course you're right."

I took a deep, ragged breath. "Hey, think of it this way. You're gonna need shop hands, cleaning up after Dean. He leaves tools everywhere." I smiled weakly at my sister. "Free labor."

She smiled back at me and nodded. "Right," she said, her eyes finding her husband again.

…

Later that night, Dean and Grace had taken their brood home and I carried Levi upstairs to his bed. I shook my head as I closed the door. Four fucking kids.

One thing I knew for sure: I would have to find a daycare for Levi. There was no way Grace would be able to handle five kids under the age of four on her own and come out still sane. I knew the hospital offered child care, but I had never researched it because Grace had watched him for free.

Quietly walking to the end of the hall, I joined Sam in our bedroom and smiled at him. "Four fucking kids," I repeated aloud. "Unbelievable."

He pressed his lips together, "For my brother, it's not so unbelievable." Sam sat on the edge of the bed and untied his boots. "He's always wanted a family. He'd never admit it, but this has got to be some kind of heaven for him." He paused momentarily, tilting his head. "Well, these days, he might admit it."

I walked over to him, sliding in between his legs and running my hands through his hair. "You don't want four kids, do you?"

He shook his head immediately. "No, Serra. Three seems too many. Two. I'd like two."

"Two would fine, I think," I said, smiling. I leaned forward to kiss him. I was so much shorter than him that sitting on the bed, he was still almost as tall as me. "Not right _now,_ " I said. "Can we at least wait until Levi is forming coherent words?"

Sam chuckled and pulled me down on the bed. "As long as you remember to take your pill," he said, pulling off my shirt and coming towards me.

I shook my head, "You bastard," I said, laughing as I rolled off the bed, dropping my jeans and walking towards our bathroom. I turned and held out my hand. "Come on, husband. I gotta wash the dog off me." He tugged his clothes off, leaving a trail of clothes behind him, and followed me into the bathroom as I started the hot water.

His muscles flexed as he gripped me, wrapping his arms around my body and pulling himself as close as he could get. My whole body ached from the fight with the werewolves, but I didn't care. I wanted him inside of me…he was like a drug. I was addicted, and there was no twelve-step program.

Shower sex was always dangerous. You get into a rhythm with water splashing all over and just pray that he has his feet planted, because honestly, you're in it too deep to care if you fall and crack your head open. It was no different for me. I wrapped myself around my husband, the hot water hitting my back and sending my hair forward, tangling around my shoulders and Sam's hands.

His oversized, delicious hands.

As he pushed harder and harder, I felt myself move back towards the tile wall and brace for the inevitable. Sam grunted with effort, and as I bit down on his earlobe, we couldn't help but cry out in pleasure together. "Holy shit," I gasped as Sam kissed me and pushed my hair out of my face. He hesitated backing away from me, still pinning me against the tile and grinned.

"We can practice as much as you want," he whispered in my ear, finally backing away from me. I pulled my hair back and closed my eyes under the spray of the water.

I nodded, smiling up at him, gazing into his hazel eyes. "Damn straight we can."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Dean

Grace was standing in the middle of the hall, her eyes closed, listening to the kids dream. I watched her from the doorway, crossing my arms, leaning against the doorframe and remembering how much I was in love with her. Our house was still a disaster, but we had done the basics: scrubbed the blood off of the hardwood, swept up the glass that had been littered across our bedroom and put a piece of plywood against the window that Grace and the female werewolf had gone through. I shook my head at the thought, imagining it again as she described it earlier this evening. The wolf had tackled her, sending them both through the glass, and then she had rolled and taken off after the werewolf as if nothing had happened.

She must have been listening to my thoughts as well because she turned slowly and smiled at me, opening her blue eyes and taking the steps forward to close the gap between us. "It wasn't that far of a drop," she said quietly. "I think the field slopes up towards the house."

Making a face, I shook my head and said, "Shut up. Don't make it no big deal. You fell out a second story window and kept running." I kissed her, lowering my head towards her. "Thank you for protecting our kids so well."

"I wouldn't be a mother if I didn't," she said, leaning into my chest, sending electricity through my body. I wanted her, despite the fear I had pressing into the pit of my stomach about having a fourth kid. She kissed me again, putting her arms around my shoulders and lifting herself up.

We made out in the hall, pulling clothes off, one layer at a time. I pulled her shirt off, making her giggle, and leaned back, marveling at her. She smiled, embarrassed, and shook her head. "Everyone is getting laid tonight," she said quietly.

Gesturing with my head back to the Small House, I lifted my eyebrows. "Sam and Serra?"

She smiled coyly. "She's really hard to ignore."

I made a face and leaned closed to her, "I'll drown her out."

Picking her up from the floor, I carried her to the bed, dropping her and pushing her down as I pulled off her pants. Our breathing was heavy as I kissed her neck and held her arms down on the bed. She closed her eyes and leaned her head towards my face, her lips dusting the edge of my ear as I trailed my tongue down her chest. I opened my eyes, staring into her eyes and thought, _This is the first time we've tried to get you knocked up._

She smiled and said, "First time for everything."

I took a deep breath, hesitating only for a second. Grace nodded at me and then kissed my neck, pulling my face closer to hers. I pushed into her, both of us gasping as we found a rhythm and made love like never before.

We rolled together, and she exploded into giggles as we went flying right off the edge of the bed together. Luckily, our comforter had already fallen, making a soft pile of blankets that I landed in, Grace landing on top of me. We only lost a step or two and got right back into it, kissing fiercely as we held each other.

She straddled me now, my shoulders rubbed on the carpet with every movement she made. Her touch was electrifying and I pulled her hips forward, sitting up and leaning against the bed, wrapping my arms around her. Opening my eyes and watching her as we came together, predictably, I saw her eyes flash blue as she slammed her hand down onto The Mark of Cain. Breathing hard, we sat, surrounded by cushion and blankets and she leaned against my chest, trying to catch her breath.

"You pregnant yet?" I asked, only half kidding.

I felt her smile against my body and shook her head. "I have no idea," she said, "but I'm pretty sure we're going to try again a little later."

Chuckling, I nodded. "Oh, yeah. Practice makes perfect."

She leaned back slightly, touching my face with her hand, her legs still propped up around my waist. "This is a leap of faith, you know," she said quietly. "We're going on Cas' word alone."

"Yeah, that's true." I tried to glance down at her, but she was lying against my skin again and I couldn't see her face. "But I think you just found her name," I answered quietly.

I felt her smile again. "Cas?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "No," I said. "Faith."

She stared up at me, gazing into my eyes, smiling gently. "Faith," she repeated. "Another virtue name."

"My girls all have beautiful names," I said quietly, hugging her. "She shouldn't be left out."

She nodded into my chest and sighed. "I love you, father of my children."

"Mother of my pack," I replied. She giggled as I continued, "My Alpha."

She kissed me again, adjusting her position with her legs still around me, rubbing in all the right ways. She smiled and whispered into my ear, "And don't you forget it."

... - ... - ... -

THANK YOU EVERYONE! There will be more, swearsies! I will be putting up the next installment in the Winchester Ranch series soon (in the next week or two). Look for "Leap" coming up next. Thanks so much for your favorites, follows, and reviews. You all are awesome.

hugs and love!

jenevieve


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